Fired
by ForeverRobsessed
Summary: The first time he saw her, in the midst of solving his first case, she took his breath away. The first time she met him, he turned her world upside down. Let's see where they go from here.
1. Chapter 1: Message

**A/N: Hello and welcome!**

 **This story is dedicated to the wonderful ladies in my FB group. I'm so thankful for their support and their excitement regarding this story right from the moment I posted the first glimpse of the banner. Seriously, they're all awesome!**

 **Many thanks to Payton79 and Pamela for coming along on this journey as my pre-readers. Their input is invaluable. Once again, Diane (OTB) is the supremely talented artist who created my banner.**

 **And finally, huge thanks to SunflowerFran for featuring this story on the Pay it Forward blog! If you're a newbie author working on their first fic or an experienced writer hammering out the details of their upcoming venture and want to be featured there, don't hesitate to contact Fran or myself via PM. They also have reviews of some fandom classics, so if you're looking for recs, don't forget to hop over and check the blog out!**

 **Alrighty then, I'm done talking for now. Let's begin.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 1: MESSAGE**

I stuffed my hand into my pocket, pulling out my handkerchief to wipe my brow. I could've cursed Mother Nature for the heat wave, but lying was not my strongest suit. The reason I was sweating bullets had much more to do with the task that lay ahead than the weather.

Footsteps crunched on the gravel behind me right before a hand landed on my back.

"Stalling?" Tyler asked.

I mustered a casual smile, hoping it didn't come out like a grimace. "Of course not. Just cleaning myself up so that I don't contaminate the crime scene."

His eyebrows rose, his smirk widening as though my answer had amused him. I went on talking in an attempt to distract him. "Unusually hot today, isn't it?"

"Winds straight from hell," he agreed. "Anyway, let's get this show on the road. Get ready for your first case, partner."

I nodded. "I'm ready."

He eyed me for another moment before heading toward the house. He snapped his gloves on and pushed the door open, so I followed suit.

The stench of blood and decay hit me even before I'd taken a step inside, and I had to choke back bile. Indeed a great way to begin my career as a homicide detective.

Tyler looked at me through narrowed eyes. "Yeah, this is a bad one to begin with. You gonna be okay?"

I rolled my shoulders—a nervous tic of mine—and nodded again. "Of course," I replied steadily.

Tyler merely shrugged in response and turned back to the body lying in the foyer. The medical examiner was already at work, so he kneeled next to her. I remained standing for the time being.

"Someone wanted to send a message," Tyler remarked.

The ME nodded. "The slash across the face does point toward that. The stab wound alone was enough to kill her, but this was done deliberately afterward."

"Time of death? And we don't have the murder weapon, do we?"

"Forty-eight to seventy-two hours ago," she answered. "I can have a more definite answer for you once I've finished my examination. And no, the weapon is missing."

Tyler nodded, sweeping one more glance across the scene. "I'll leave you to it, Doctor. Thank you." He turned to me. "Take a look around the house. If you see something that needs to be bagged and hasn't been, get one of the forensic people to do it. I'm going to speak to the first responders and set up a canvas. Probably going to have to send someone for trash can duty to search for the murder weapon."

My eyes widened, and he shook his head. "Don't worry. I'll spare you the horror today. This is enough to deal with on your first day." He waved a hand toward the body covered in crimson nearly all the way from head to toe.

"Thanks," I replied.

Carefully stepping around the body, I started my search with the living room. The forensic techs were already there, sweeping potential surfaces for fingerprints. My eyes fell on the collection of photographs that lay on a side-table, arranged in little, silver frames. I gave them a cursory glance, finding nothing out of the ordinary there, before turning my face away from the smiling one of the woman who now lay tragically mutilated in her own home.

I rifled through the drawers before moving on to the kitchen, and then the victim's bedroom on the first floor. I started with the shelves that hung on the walls, but they held nothing worth notice—simply novels and knick-knacks. I moved on to the bed, sitting on it while peering into the drawer on the nightstand. There were a few photographs of the victim in there, but these were different from the ones I'd seen downstairs. Those had been candid pictures, while the ones I'd found now were professional head shots, not surprising considering the victim had been a model. Other than that, all I found there was some allergy medication and an iPod.

I placed everything back and was about to stand, when I felt a strange protrusion where my hand rested on the mattress. Frowning, I stood and pressed the spot once, confirming that there was something down there. I peeled the bedspread off and then lifted the mattress.

My eyes widened when I saw what lay underneath.

 _A phone_.

It wasn't a smart phone, either, but one of the older ones that could do very few tasks other than making calls and sending messages. I didn't even know they made those anymore.

I picked it up and tried to turn it on, but it wouldn't start. My eyes scanned the room, landing on a charger that hung off one of the plugs. I rushed across the floor to plug it in, waiting expectantly as the screen lit up with the battery symbol after a moment.

"Edward?"

The sound of Tyler's voice made me spin around. I held up my find, and he came closer.

"What's going on?"

"I found this under the mattress. It was discharged. I've just plugged it in, so it might take a moment or two to start."

"They already found the victim's phone downstairs," he remarked, echoing my thoughts.

"Exactly. And this one was hidden. Not very well, but hidden nonetheless. I'm thinking it might hold something for us."

As soon as the main screen appeared, I quickly opened the call log.

"Just one number," I said, scrolling down the entries. "No pattern. Looks like they were talking at odd hours, but not regularly. Wait a second. There's just one call from a different number that came three days ago at eleven in the night."

Tyler leaned closer and squinted. "Send them both to Ben. He can get started on tracing the owners. What's that little thing flashing in the corner?"

I gave it a closer look. "Looks like some kind of a message . . ." After a few tries, I finally managed to locate the folder that was responsible for the blinking sign. "No, wait. It's a recorded call. Huh. I didn't know these old things could even do that. It doesn't tell me what number this call came from, but the time stamp matches that of the call from the mystery number three days ago."

"Well, let's hear it."

My thumb moved a little clumsily over the little buttons to hit _Play._ I made sure the volume was turned up to maximum before holding the phone between us.

There was nothing but static for a few minutes, before a voice uttered the victim's name.

 _"_ _Carmen, darling. Where'd you go? Come out, come out wherever you are."_ A sinister chuckle followed, and I looked up to meet Tyler's narrowed eyes.

 _"_ _You can't hide from me, Carmen. You've been going behind my back, haven't you, darling? Do you know how much it pained me to hear of this? You're listening, aren't you? I can hear you breathing. If I can get my hands on this phone number, do you think it'll take me more than an hour to . . . Well, you're a smart girl. I'm sur—"_

The recording cut off abruptly after a short, distressed whimper.

I cleared my throat. "Sounds like we have a revengeful, sadistic bastard on our hands."

"Call Ben _now_ ," Tyler ordered, his voice quietly chilling. "We need to find this man right away."

* * *

 **A/N: Despite all evidence to the contrary, this will NOT be a murder mystery! There is a murder, yes, because apparently, I can't write a story without one. *facepalm* E/B's relationship will be our primary focus. We just have to bring them to each other first. ;)**

 **Chapter 2 will be up on Friday, and from there on, we'll settle into a weekly schedule.**

 **Teasers, photographs, and other details about my stories can be found in my FB group: Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed. The link is available on my profile here.**

 **See you next time!**

* * *

 **FIC REC - The Words Left Unsaid by** **Leah C. Drawn** **-** "Please, Isabella Swan, tell me you're fucking half as in love with me as I am with you. I need you to say it because I feel like I'll die right now if you don't. Tell me that you won't ever want anyone else, that you only ever dream about me, that you would fucking crumble to bits if I ever stopped loving you." BxE AH


	2. Chapter 2: Handle

**A/N: Hi again :) It was so great to see several familiar names in my e-mail. Thanks for coming along. And a warm welcome to all the other folks who're taking a chance on me for the first time!**

 **I forgot to put in a disclaimer last time, but you already know it, don't you? I don't own Twilight.**

 **Hugs and thanks to Payton79 and Pamela for all that they do.**

 **Now, let's check in with Detective Masen.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 2: HANDLE**

One of the forensic techs rushed toward me, but I held up a hand, requesting him to wait for a moment.

"Are you sure, Ben?"

"Yeah, absolutely," his voice crackled through the phone. "I haven't been able to locate the first number, the one with the multiple calls, yet. But the second one is registered to Marcus Volturi, hotshot fashion mogul. It's a part of a batch of numbers his company acquired to distribute among his employees."

"So we can't trace it directly to him," I deduced, sweeping my gaze one last time across Carmen's bedroom. "At least we have a place to start. Keep working on the other number, though. We have incoming _and_ outgoing calls, so Carmen certainly knew that person well. Marcus might be just a coincidence, given that there's just one call from him . . . well, threatening message aside, of course."

"Will do."

"It's not a coincidence," the man beside me piped up as soon as I ended the call.

"I'm sorry, what?"

He held out a worn, black folder and flicked his eyes toward the door that led to the attached bathroom. "Found this taped to the underside of the cabinet in there."

I took it from him and opened it, revealing several newspaper cuttings. Scanning the headlines, I found articles describing various public sightings of Volturi, mostly at fashion shows and their after-parties. I could find no rhyme or reason to the content collected, but there were red marks and arrows surrounding certain places and events, meaning that they'd held some significance for Carmen.

For whatever reason, she'd been researching Marcus Volturi.

The call from one of his numbers onto a mobile phone, that for all intents and purposes, seemed to be a secret one just hours before her death didn't seem like a mere coincidence.

"Thank you," I said, handing the file back. "Please bag this right away. And do you have that phone we found in the victim's bedroom?"

"Yes, it's with the other evidence downstairs."

"Send it to the office ASAP, and have them deliver it to Benjamin Cheney in Tech."

He nodded and scurried away just as Tyler walked over to me.

"We done here?" he asked.

"Just about. Did you see the file?"

"Yeah. Seems like she was keeping an eye on Volturi," he replied. "I didn't see anything there that could create trouble for him, but maybe we don't know what to look for."

"I've asked for the phone to be sent to Ben right away. Marcus is a public figure. I'm sure there's voice samples of him all over the internet."

Tyler cocked an eyebrow at me. "You think it'll be a match to the recording? It might not even be his phone. It could belong to any one of the employees of his company."

I shrugged. "It's worth a shot."

"Maybe we should go speak to Marcus anyway, gauge where he's at while Ben works on that recording," he mused. "Carmen was a model. Same business. They might've worked together in the past. He might be able to shed some light on a possible motive."

"Maybe."

We wrapped up the formalities at the crime scene and then jumped into the car. My phone rang just as Tyler revved the engine. It was Ben, calling to inform us of Marcus' whereabouts, as we'd asked.

"The Pacific Grand Hotel," I told Tyler once I'd hung up. "Apparently, he's auditioning some models there. It's all over his company's social media pages."

Tyler grinned. "Looks like we'll be treating ourselves to some eye-candy, then. Let's go speak to Mr. Volturi."

When we reached the hotel, crossing the opulent lobby in quick strides, Tyler wasted no time, questioning the receptionist about Marcus' whereabouts.

"I'm sorry, Sir, but I've been instructed not to disturb him this afternoon," she replied to his query. Sweat beaded on her brow, her gaze shifting nervously between us, but her voice sounded calm. Tyler tried to reason with her once again. She was reluctant to budge, but grew more worried by the second when Tyler explained that her actions could be perceived as obstruction of justice. Her eyes went comically wide, and I figured she was seconds away from folding.

I looked around, taking in the décor spanned in ocher and white, hints of gold shining through the fabric that dotted the plush couches. Several huge arrangements of wild flowers sat in intricately carved vases, and next to one such arrangement, was a corkboard, announcing the events of the day. My eyes scanned the list, glossing over the wedding in the gardens and the engagement party in the restaurant to land on the one being held at the poolside.

It didn't state the nature of the event, but the words _Volturi Creations_ written in bold were enough to tell us what we needed to know.

"Tyler," I muttered quietly, gesturing with my eyes toward the corkboard.

I watched him peruse it from the corner of his eyes, and a smile flitted across his lips as he turned back to the receptionist.

"Miss . . . Stanley," he addressed her after having glanced at her nametag. "Thank you for trying to help—if I can even use that word—but I'm pretty sure we know where to find him." He tapped the desk once before stepping back.

I started to follow him, only to stop short at the sound of Miss Stanley's screech behind us.

"Wait!"

We turned to face her, while the rest of the people in the room seemed to do the same. I watched, a little amused as the color rose high on Miss Stanley's face. She shot an embarrassed grimace toward everyone and no one in particular before looking at us.

"Look," she began in a more subdued tone. "Mr. Volturi is not just a guest here. He's the best friend of our CEO. I can't just ignore his wishes, but I can't have you barging in there either. So please, let me make a phone call to his assistant. She can handle this business from here on."

Tyler looked at me, and I shrugged, seeing no harm in fulfilling her request. He nodded at Miss Stanley, making her shoulders sag in relief. Her springy dark curls bounced around her face as she rushed to grab the phone.

She conveyed the situation in hushed tones to the person on the other end. I stuffed my hand in my pocket, leaning against the desk, once she informed us that the assistant was on her way. She shuffled away to the other end of the counter, leaving me wondering what exactly Marcus Volturi was hiding to run such a tight ship around him.

It was Tyler's voice that interrupted my musing.

"Why don't you handle this?"

My head swiveled to meet his gaze so fast, I feared for the tendons in my neck. "What?"

He smirked. "Relax. I was just talking about the assistant. The way Miss Stanley cowered in her shoes, this assistant is also bound to make a fuss. I'll deal with Marcus, but this will be good practice for you. Show me what you've got, Detective Masen."

I smiled back. "Alright."

A minute passed as I tried to plan my strategy, settling on appearing confident and unyielding at the outset. I already had a bad feeling about Volturi. From what little I knew, he seemed like one of those men who were nothing but arrogant and entitled little brats trapped in an adult body. If he had anything to do with our case, I would move heaven and earth to bring him down.

Once again, Tyler pulled me out of my thoughts by tapping my arm. He inclined his head toward the glass doors that made up the entire wall opposite to us, seeming to lead into the gardens.

What caught my attention was the woman who had just pushed the door open.

Chocolate-brown tresses tied into a knot, a few strands curling delicately around her heart shaped face.

Lush lips painted crimson, one corner twisting into a frown, while she adjusted the thin-rimmed glasses adorning her nose.

Pale, unblemished skin that seemed almost iridescent as the sunlight streamed into the room through the glass behind her.

And finally . . . a slender body clad in a red silk blouse, paired with a black pencil skirt that teasingly hinted at the tantalizing curves it covered.

As she neared us, all I could do was stand there, mesmerized, my mind going blank, except for one thought all my neurons seemed to focus on.

 _How the fuck was I supposed to form words, let alone get into an argument with the most beautiful woman I'd seen in my entire life?_

* * *

 **A/N: That's all for this week. I'll see you** **every Friday** **from here on. There will be around 15 chapters in this story, so I look forward to taking this short and sweet journey with you.**

 **Teasers, photographs, and other details about my stories can be found in my FB group:** **Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed** **. The link is available on my profile here.**

 **See you next time!**

* * *

 **FIC REC (***** ** _These will always be HEA fics***_** **) – Cape Disappointment by RainyGirl1978 –** One boy, one girl, one love. Flame, mist, tide. Sweetest joy and dark despair. Connection. A short story. E/B.


	3. Chapter 3: Unsettled

**A/N: Happy Friday, guys!**

 **Huge thanks to Tarbecca for including** ** _Fired_** **in her Fic Dive at ADF this week! I can see so many of you who found me through her, and I really appreciate that you're giving my story a chance.**

 **As you already know, Payton79 and Pamela are the two wonderful ladies who keep this story on track.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 3: UNSETTLED**

I swallowed down the lump in my throat just as the stunning brunette came to a standstill before us.

Her lips pulled up into a smile. It was clearly a bland, polite one, but still lit up her face in dangerously distracting ways.

"Hello, gentlemen," she addressed us calmly. "I'm Isabella Swan, Mr. Volturi's assistant. How may I help you?"

Tyler turned to me expectantly, so I cleared my throat.

"We need to speak to Mr. Volturi," I told her, pleased when my voice came out steadier than my thoughts.

"I'm afraid that's not possible at the moment. Mr. Volturi has prior commitments to attend to right now. But I'd be happy to make an appointment for you some time tomorrow." She pulled out her phone, blinking up at me expectantly.

I narrowed my eyes. "Miss Swan, this is a murder investigation."

"I see," she replied evenly. "Then I'm sure Mr. Volturi would like to have his lawyer present for the meeting. Does tomorrow afternoon suit you?"

"No, ma'am," I gritted. "Nothing but _right now_ suits us. We just need a few minutes of his time, and then we'll let him get back to his _commitments_." I took a step to the side, and she followed it up with her own.

"Detective, like I said, Mr. Volturi does not have time for this right now."

"A woman is dead, ma'am. Stabbed in the abdomen, before her face was slashed open. He will have to make time for this," I retorted. "Now, if you'll excuse us . . ."

For the first time, a hint of emotion flashed across her face. Her chin jut up in defiance as her eyes tightened. She pulled off her glasses, giving me a peek into the alluring chocolate depths of her eyes.

"You _can't_ go there," she asserted.

The ire seemed to bring out a hazel tint in her irises and a rosy blush over her cheeks. I loathed my job in that moment, because all I wanted to do was look at her, lose myself in her beauty, and let it mesmerize me.

But it wasn't an ideal world.

"This lobby is a public place," I reminded her. "You have no right to stop us. Excuse us."

Tyler fell into step beside me as I started to walk toward the glass doors.

I heard the clanking of heels behind us, undoubtedly belonging to Miss Swan. She hurried after us, but we didn't stop. Once outside, we followed the scent of chlorine and the sound of water splashing.

"Wait, please!" Miss Swan insisted behind us. There was undisguised desperation in her voice now, and that made me pause. Tyler turned around questioningly, and I gestured for him to give me a moment.

Miss Swan was out of breath as she stood before me. More tendrils of her hair had come loose of her knot, but she didn't seem to care.

"I'll lose my job if you go over there," she whispered fiercely. "Please. Mr. Volturi asked me to handle the situation, and he doesn't believe in second chances."

Anxiety dripped off every word, wrapping around my chest like a vice. But I had no choice.

"I'm sorry," I offered in a whisper before averting my eyes from her expressive ones. Mustering all my strength, I turned around and walked briskly to catch up with Tyler.

Volturi wasn't hard to find.

The swimming pool was occupied by a few people, but what caught my eye was the stage erected on one side of it. We paused a few feet away, taking a few seconds to observe the situation. Model after model took turns in sashaying down the platform in different kinds of swimwear in tune with the beats of music playing in the background. They came to a stop at the end of the ramp, offering a few poses for the benefit of the occupants of the plush couch placed there.

Tyler inclined his head toward it, and I nodded.

We closed the remaining distance and stepped around the couch. There were three men sitting on it, but my gaze zeroed in on the one in the center. Volturi tipped his head up and regarded us through cool, dispassionate, sky-blue eyes.

"Gentlemen." His voice was a strange, husky rumble, yet somehow sounding thin as paper. The dichotomy left me unsettled. "How can I help you?"

I stayed silent, letting Tyler take the lead as he relayed the information about Carmen's death to Mr. Volturi. Acutely aware of Miss Swan's fidgety form standing just a few feet away, I allowed myself a sideways peek at her before returning my attention back to where it should be.

The two men who had been sitting next to Volturi were now on their feet, silently taking in the scene as Volturi remained seated like his ass had been nailed to the couch. He folded one of his legs over the other and leaned back, the picture of ease, though his features shifted into a mask of sorrow.

"It's a shame," he offered. "Such a waste! Of course I knew Carmen. She did quite a few assignments with my agency. A very talented girl."

"She wasn't working with you currently, though, was she?" Tyler prodded.

Volturi shook his head. "No. You see, Detective, she seemed to have lost her way for a bit. It's not that uncommon in our business. These girls . . . they're under tremendous pressure, and some of them just . . . can't bear the strain and give in to . . . well . . ." he trailed off with a grimace.

"Are you insinuating the victim was using drugs, Sir?" I couldn't help but ask.

His eyes cut to me sharply. I made sure to keep my face neutral while he pinned me with what I'm sure he considered an intimidating gaze. I held it steadily, refusing to back down despite the uncomfortable silence that stretched on for a moment.

"I'm insinuating nothing," he said eventually before turning back to Tyler. "I'm simply stating that it was tragic to see her lose her focus. She had been with my agency almost from the beginning of her career, but I had no choice except to let her go when she seemed to be heading for a downward spiral. I tried to pull her out of it, but . . . alas, the ones who need help the most are the ones who tend to reject it."

"When was the last time you spoke to her?" Tyler inquired.

"Hmmm, let me think. It had to have been at least three months ago. Maybe even more."

"And there has been no contact between the two of you ever since?" I asked him.

"I've already answered that question, Detective," he replied coolly, and once again, that voice sparked something disturbing inside me.

"We found a folder at her place," I added, watching him closely. "A folder of clippings and printouts of various articles related to you. Could you shed any light on why that could be?"

Volturi shrugged. "Maybe she was trying to get back into my good books? How long could her savings sustain her? She was an intelligent girl before she lost her way. If she wanted an in, she would've worked hard to find one. Maybe that's what she was doing." He heaved a huge sigh before getting onto his feet. The people around us, who'd seemed almost frozen during our interaction, seemed to bristle with Volturi's movement. "Look, Detectives, I know nothing more than what I have shared with you. Things have been hectic at the office, so I've spent morning to midnight there every day in the past week. Once you ascertain the time of the murder, you can get back to me, and I will provide you the specifics of my location at the time, if you require them. Now, is that all? We have an important show coming up soon, and I'd like to get on with the auditions. There's no time to waste."

Tyler's eyes locked with mine. There was still the matter of the phone call to attend to, but my gut was screaming at me to let that go unsaid. Whether Marcus Volturi was involved in the murder or not, he seemed like the kind of man with whom we needed to have an upper hand. And if we showed all our cards, we would lose that. Until Ben had a chance to work on the recording, this information did not need to be conveyed to Volturi.

Tyler nodded once, and I knew we'd reached a silent agreement.

"That'll be all for now, Sir. We'll remain in touch if there are any further questions," Tyler announced. "Thank you for your time."

"Ah, yes," Volturi almost crooned. " _My time._ That reminds me of two things. Firstly, you may contact my attorney if you need any more of my time. And secondly . . ." His head swiveled, looking around until his dispassionate eyes landed on the person he'd sought.

"Miss Swan."

This time, I couldn't resist angling my head to look at her directly. She gulped, her eyes widening anxiously as she met Volturi's gaze.

"When I ask you to handle something, I expect you to do it. Instead, you failed, and you've wasted thirty valuable minutes of my day."

"I-I'm sorry, Sir."

I had to give her credit . . . despite the little stutter, she held herself together in wake of Volturi's chilling tone and less-than-pleasant words.

"That's quite alright, my dear," Volturi answered with a polite smile. "I'm sure it won't happen again."

I felt a pang of relief for Miss Swan, and watched it echo on her face, too. Her shoulders sagged the tiniest bit and she nodded quickly, obviously grateful.

But Volturi wasn't done yet. He stepped closer to her and coolly delivered his parting shot.

 _"_ _Because you're fired."_

* * *

 **A/N: Now you know the reason behind the title! And also why this won't be much of a 'mystery.'**

 **Teasers, photographs, and other details about my stories can be found in my FB group: Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed. The link is available on my profile here.**

 **See you next time!**

* * *

 **FIC REC – Setup by 2brown-eyes –** Edward is still madly in love with his high school sweetheart and is tired of his sister setting him up on dates, each one being worse than the one before. He decides to reverse the tables by being their worst date ever. What happens if the tables are reversed right back at him?


	4. Chapter 4: Guilt

**A/N: Hey, folks. As I post this, I'm into the final prep for my exams that begin TOMORROW! I'm incredibly stressed out. Well begun is half done, so I'm hoping for the best.**

 **Thanks to Payton79 and Pamela for all their help.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 4: GUILT**

I scrubbed a hand over my face as I crossed the street. My eyes stung with fatigue, and the only thing keeping my body going at the moment was the promise of coffee from my favorite little café around the corner.

The Carmen DeLuca murder case had proven to be simultaneously too easy and too hard. The less-than-impressive quality of the recorded call made it difficult to ascertain that the voice belonged to Marcus Volturi, but the arrogant nature of words certainly suited his character. Ben could be only fifty percent certain that it was Volturi threatening our victim just hours before her death. Marcus had no trouble giving us an alibi for his whereabouts, and there were at least fifteen people at his office vouching for the same, including some CCTV footage. We were still working on the alibis of the fifteen employees who'd received phone numbers from the batch we were concerned with. But from what we had gathered on them so far, there seemed to be no reason for any of them to harm Carmen. The actual number in question, the one that'd left the threatening message on Carmen's phone was missing and untraceable.

On the other hand, we'd found an unidentified partial print on the main door of Carmen's house. With no matches in the system, we had no way to find who they belonged to until we had a few suspects for comparison.

All in all, it was pretty clear to me that Marcus Volturi was responsible for Carmen's murder. But we were running out of time to figure out how he'd done it.

Throughout this past week, we'd spent long days and late nights at the station, pouring over every aspect of Volturi's life and looking for anything that was amiss. The most probable theory was that of a henchman, but we had yet to find anything that would lead us to him.

It'd been exhausting, yet somewhat exhilarating. This was why I'd joined the force—to catch hold of the wolves among the sheep and make sure they got what they had coming.

But I'd be lying to myself if I attributed my tiredness to simply work.

Because it was something else that kept me alert and awake even while I tried to shut my eyes in the comfort of my own bed.

It was a pair of eyes—the deepest, darkest pair of eyes I'd ever seen—that haunted my dreams as well as my waking thoughts.

I'd spoken to her for all of two minutes, yet she'd left an impression in my mind that try as I might, I couldn't erase. I couldn't deny that it was her beauty that'd left me nearly dumbstruck the first time I'd laid my eyes on her.

But that wasn't what occupied a large portion of my thoughts.

It was the expression on her face, the emotion in her eyes toward the end of our meeting that played on a constant loop in my memories.

Despite having observed the fear Marcus seemed to instill in his subordinates, I'd been shocked when he'd fired Isabella right there and then. The easy, condescending way he'd dismissed her had left me feeling enraged on her behalf.

And then her eyes had locked with mine.

In an instant, my fury had vanished. My mind was rendered clear of every thought, every emotion, except one.

 _Guilt._

Overwhelming, unrelenting guilt.

Because, in those deep, expressive eyes, I'd encountered an amalgamation of wrath and despair like I'd never seen before.

In wake of the humiliation that'd been thrust upon her, Isabella Swan had stood tall, ignoring the rest of her audience and focusing solely on me. I could see her anger toward me, could almost hear the expletives she must've screeched in her thoughts as she blamed me for getting her fired . . . and probably not wrongly so.

But there was also the thin glimmer of moisture that she refused to let escape her eyes that hit me hard, twisting in my chest like a jagged knife.

 _I'm sorry_ , I'd whispered in my mind, willing her to feel my apology in my silence, knowing that it made no difference.

I didn't know her circumstances, but she'd obviously treasured her job.

And I was the reason she'd lost it.

The guilt had been eating away at me all of this past week. When I wasn't thinking about the case, my mind had been occupied with the beautiful brunette I'd wronged and how, if ever, I could begin to make up for it.

Which was why, when I stepped into _The Busy Bean_ to get my caffeine fix and happened to encounter a very familiar pair of brown eyes, I almost slapped myself to try and pull myself out of this delusion.

 _Almost._

"Isabella," I breathed, blinking once through my astonishment—half afraid of losing the vision of her, half begging for it to be a reality. When she gasped and took a reflexive step back, I know someone up there had answered my prayers.

I remained frozen until she moved to the side, as if to step around me, which jarred me into action.

"Wait, please," I requested, hoping that my desperation didn't shine through my words. That would surely make her run far away from my creepy ass.

She moved again to the other side, ignoring my words. This time, I followed suit, planting myself in her path. I did pull myself back a few inches, unwilling to impose upon her personal space despite the fact that I was obstructing her sole means of exit. I could only hope it made her see I meant no harm.

She huffed, glaring at me as her brow creased into a scowl. "I have nothing to say to you."

"But I have something to say, to apologize," I rushed to clarify. "I'd—I'd like to apologize."

"You did your job. I didn't do mine. That's it." I watched her knuckles strain as she tightened her hold on the Styrofoam cup in her palm.

Our little dance began anew as she stepped to the right, aiming for the door, and I followed suit.

For a split second, I wondered how I would explain myself to my colleagues if someone saw the way I was behaving and called 911 on my stalker-ish self. Judging by the look on Isabella's face, she'd probably file the complaint without hesitation and dance around in revengeful glee as I was handcuffed.

She murmured a curse under her breath, pulling me away from my inane imagination.

"I'm sorry." I held up my hands, scrambling for words that'd make her stay for just a little while longer. I stuttered for a few seconds, and she huffed again, shuffling her feet. Her impatience was like an invisible time bomb hanging in the air. Any minute, the time would run out, and she'd explode in a puff of smoke before disappearing forever. The idea frightened me to the point where I blurted out the first words that popped into my head. "I come here every day, but I've never seen you here before."

I almost breathed a sigh of relief once the sentence was out. I'd managed to string together innocuous words that could prolong the conversation, hopefully giving her a chance to calm down.

Apparently, Isabella disagreed.

If anything, her face seemed to burst into flames, her nostrils flaring as she drew in a quick breath.

On the exhale, her reply came through, swift, sharp, and biting.

"Yeah, well, that's what happens when you lose your job. You lose your apartment when you're not able to make rent, and you're forced to downsize with a shitty roommate in a shitty area, buying this shitty excuse for a coffee."

My eyes widened in surprise at her tirade, and she took advantage of my momentary lapse in concentration. Her hand grabbed my elbow so swiftly, I had no chance to even appreciate the first time her hand landed on my body—albeit through the cotton of my shirt. She shoved me aside, and before I could make sense of what was happening, she was barreling down the street to disappear into the morning crowd.

Once I returned to my senses, I threaded my hand through my hair. My eyes fell shut for a moment, and when I opened them again, I found the entire café silent, almost frozen in place as they stared at me. Our exchange had been quiet, but obviously, our body language had been enough to catch everyone's attention. I threw a shrug at no one in particular, then spun on my feet and made my way out.

I was wide awake now, my guilt refreshed and ready to cut me open as Isabella's words rattled through my mind.

Yet, for the first time in the past week, my thoughts tinged with clarity as I made a decision on what I needed to do. Until I'd achieved it, I knew I'd have no peace.

I began to head in the general direction of the precinct to start my day, making only one stop on the way—at the newspaper vendor who'd set up shop down the street.

* * *

 **A/N: C'mon. You know you'd be pissed, too. Give the girl a chance, okay?**

 **As stated above, I'll be neck deep in exams in the upcoming days . . . in fact, for the next three weeks, so I don't think I'll be able to reply to reviews like I usually do. I'm so sorry, but I can't help it.**

 **Rest assured, the story will continue to post, because I've already written the next few chapters. Now, wish me luck!**

 **Teasers, photographs, and other details about my stories can be found in my FB group: Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed. The link is available on my profile here.**

 **See you next time!**

* * *

 **FIC REC – Forged By Fire by Sunshine1220 –** We rose from the ashes of their man-made disaster and became stronger, drawing our strength from where we've been and what we've seen. This is our world now, and they can't take it from us.


	5. Chapter 5: Opportunities

**A/N: Love, love, love how passionate you all were last time! I hate being so busy because I would've loved to respond to everyone. Damn you, exams! One week down . . . two more to go. Thank you loads for wishing me luck. The papers have gone well so far. I can't wait to be done, though.**

 **All my thanks to Payton79 and Pamela for their invaluable feedback.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 5: OPPORTUNITIES**

"Tired of us already, Masen?"

I jerked in surprise and snapped the newspaper shut before turning to meet Tyler's inquisitive eyes.

"I-uh, I'm sorry, what?"

His eyebrows rose an inch, and he gestured toward the newspaper. "You think I haven't noticed you sneaking around the Classifieds section every morning? At first, I thought you might be helping out a friend, but now . . . it has been a week. This seems like some sort of a weird ritual."

I grimaced. "It hasn't been a week. Just six days. And I _am_ helping a friend. Sort of. Well, trying to."

"Sounds like there's a story here. Anyhow, I'm glad you're not planning on running off just yet. We're barely getting started. Last time they stuck me with a new guy, well, let's just say that the elevator never seemed to make it to the top floor with that one. You, on the other hand, are actually pretty useful around here."

"Gee, thanks, Tyler." I folded the newspaper and quickly tucked it in the corner. In my haste, I managed to flick the red pen I'd used to mark the promising listings off the table. It fell to the ground with a _thwack_ that made me cringe.

Tyler looked down at it before raising his eyes back to mine. He opened his mouth to say something, but then seemed to think better of it. He shook his head and turned to walk to his desk.

I thanked my lucky stars that he'd chosen not to pursue the matter further. Had he known what I was doing, I could imagine the laughter cackling through his mouth as he'd call me out for my rookie sentimentality. As much as I didn't care about his opinion of what I was doing—certainly not enough to stop—it was also the last thing I wanted to hear. I'd set out to do my job here and do it well. Proving my worth to my partner and my precinct was high on my to-do list. I wasn't sure my fixation with Isabella Swan would achieve that.

The moment her name trickled through my thoughts, a familiar tightness began to make its way through my chest.

It'd been six days since I'd run into her at the café, since the day I'd decided that I would do everything in my power to help her out of the mess I'd plunged her into. The Classifieds in the newspaper, especially the _Jobs_ section and I had become familiar acquaintances ever since.

Yet, for all my effort, I'd made no headway in my mission.

Not because there were no jobs available.

But because that was the last time I'd seen Isabella.

The day after our unexpected and somewhat explosive meeting, I'd made my way down to _The Busy Bean_ a little earlier, naively thinking that getting coffee there must've become a ritual for her just as it was for me. It was only when I stood right outside the door with two coffees in hand and the newspaper tucked into my pocket for an hour with no sign of her did I come to the harsh realization that I'd probably lost her.

The _probably_ slowly became a _definitely_ as day after day passed with me waiting at the café for someone who never showed up.

I couldn't help but consider the idea that maybe it was my presence that thwarted any plans she might have had of returning to the place. Narcissistic as it was, when I recalled the hatred in her eyes as she'd glared at me, I couldn't bring myself to dismiss the idea.

It crushed me.

And I realized just how absurd it was to be so affected by someone I'd met only twice in my life—neither time under any pleasant circumstances.

But I'd long since given up on wondering about _why_ she affected me so and if it was _right_.

She just _did_ and it just _was_.

With that thought in mind, I made my way down to the café on Thursday and bought two cups of coffee, nurturing the hope in my heart and praying that it wouldn't be a pointless one. I made my way toward the table that'd become my regular spot in the past week and sat on the bench that faced the door.

It wasn't lost on me that it'd only take me a couple of clicks on my computer to find out exactly where she lived. Yet, the idea of invading her privacy like that didn't sit well with me. I wanted to redeem myself in her eyes and mine, and taking advantage of my job to do that didn't seem like the right way to go about it. It was an option to keep in mind if my efforts here at _The Busy Bean_ ended up in a failure, but I wasn't _there_ yet.

I wasn't ready to give up.

I set Isabella's coffee to one side and picked up mine. I'd just taken my first sip— thankfully a small one, because the beverage was boiling hot—when the windchimes next to the door dinged.

My eyes widened, the caffeinated lava reflexively and carelessly flowing down my unfortunate throat when I saw Isabella make her way inside. Tears sprung in my eyes—an homage to my now scorched insides. I blinked them away quickly and focused on Isabella.

She was wearing a checkered yellow and black shirt with a pair of skinny black jeans. She hip-checked the door, and I couldn't help but notice how perfectly those jeans hugged her curves. Her hair had been pulled up in a high ponytail, exposing the graceful slope of her neck. She didn't notice me at first and began to walk toward the counter.

Unthinkingly, as I'd learnt I was prone to do in her presence, I called out to draw her attention.

"Isabella!"

She paused at once and swiftly scanned the room until her gaze landed on me. Her mouth fell open in what I thought was disbelief. Before I could figure out my next move, she was charging toward me.

"What the hell? Are you stalking me?" she demanded, making me cringe. I sneaked a sheepish glance around my table, relief flooding my veins when I realized no one had been close enough to hear Isabella's accusation.

I cleared my throat before turning back to her. "No. Of course not."

 _Wait, this wasn't stalking, was it?_

 _But . . ._

My eyes fell on the second helping of coffee I'd purchased for her.

 _No, no . . . that was just an act of goodwill._

 _She might not see it that way, though._

"Well?" Isabella inquired, and I realized I'd been silent for a beat too long.

 _Damn it, this was not how I pictured our meeting would go._

"I live nearby. I come here every morning to get some coffee and have been doing so for the past year," I explained. "Long before I even met you. You can verify it with the employees here if you'd like. Although . . ."

She cocked an eyebrow when I trailed off.

"Although I wouldn't deny that I've been hoping I'd run into you again," I confessed.

I watched her face closely, noticing that it was devoid of make-up, her porcelain skin needing no embellishment. My words brought forth a flood of color across her cheeks.

"Why is that?" Her tone was still a little hostile, but I could also detect a note of grudging curiosity in the way she regarded me.

I pulled out the newspaper I'd stashed in the breast pocket of my jacket and laid it out on the table. It was already folded to display the page I needed.

"Isabella, I feel terrible about what happened with your job," I started softly. "I'm really sorry. I didn't realize Volturi would be so unfair."

"I told you he didn't give second chances," she muttered.

"You did. I went in there anyway because that's my job. I had no choice, but that doesn't mean I'm not genuinely sorry about the consequences you have had to face because of what I had to do." I gestured toward the newspaper. "I've been trying my best to make it up to you if I can. I've been scouring the jobs section, looking for something that you might be able to pursue."

She gasped in surprise, but I went on talking. I didn't know if I would get another chance to say my piece.

I grabbed my notepad from the table and held it out toward her. "I've been listing down the details of the interviews that looked most promising in the past week. I haven't added today's yet. Those are circled in the newspaper. Look, Isabella, I know nothing about your interests or your education. But you were working as a PA to a fashion mogul, so I've tried to stay as close to that realm of jobs as possible. I don't know if this will really help you, but I hope I can at least give you a start."

She hesitated, looking down at the notepad before flicking her eyes back up to mine.

"Marcus Volturi was a son of a bitch, but he paid me well enough to put up with all the bullshit," she told me, though not unkindly. "I've been rummaging through job listings anywhere and everywhere I could find them, Mr. Masen. Sadly, nothing seems like it would work out in my favor. Thank you for all your efforts, but it seems like the best opportunity has already slipped through my fingers." She gave me a lopsided grimace and took a step back.

I glanced at my notepad and the newspaper she'd ignored and frowned.

Whirling on her feet, she was about to walk away when I spoke up.

"Your son of a bitch ex-boss is being arrested for murder as we speak, Isabella. You might want to reconsider the whole _best opportunity_ thing."

I held my breath, staring at her back while she seemed to have frozen in place. A few seconds ticked by with neither of us moving. Then, ever so slowly, she spun around to face me.

"What did you just say?"

I licked my parched lips. "We presented all the evidence we had against him to a judge yesterday. Anytime now, I'm expecting a call about the warrant being ready. As soon as we have that, Marcus Volturi will find himself in a world of trouble."

"Murder?" she whispered, eyes wide in disbelief.

"Yes. The only reason I'm able to tell you this is because the wheels are already in motion, and there is nothing that can save Volturi now. You can be glad, as I am, that you're far away from that vile man's clutches before he goes down for his crimes."

I pushed the notepad toward her again, while she continued to gape at me.

"Wanna rethink your decision? There are other opportunities for you out there, if you just let yourself step out of the last one."

It was as if the world telescoped down to this moment where there was nothing but her and me, our gazes locked, voices silent while she debated her course of action. Her eyes swiveled down to the notepad, shifting to the newspaper before quickly returning to my face. I could see the gears of her mind turning and waited none too patiently to see what she'd do.

It seemed like an eternity later when she braved a small step forward to pluck the notepad out of my grasp. I started to smile and say something else, but she paid me no heed. Spinning on her feet, she was rushing out of the café in the next beat, leaving me extremely frustrated in her wake.

* * *

 **A/N: That was cruel, even for me! No, wait. I think I've left it at worse points in the past, haven't I? Yep, pretty sure I have. Several times.**

 **I'm feeling pretty bad about it this time, though, so . . . mid-week update for the next one? What say you? Seriously, I'm on the fence about this, so let me know.**

 **Teasers, photographs, and other details about my stories can be found in my FB group:** **Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed** **. The link is available on my profile here.**

 **See you next time!**

* * *

 **FIC REC – Ain't Nothing But A Family Thing by notthatamanda –** An arrangement, to make a dynasty to rival Kennedy. "Ain't nothing but a family thing," someone once said. AH/AU


	6. Chapter 6: Apology

**A/N: Progress lies ahead. Actual, tangible progress. ;) Read on, folks.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 6: APOLOGY**

My experience in the past two weeks had taught me that Isabella most likely made a trip to _The Busy Bean_ only once a week—on Thursdays. Yet, I couldn't bring myself to not wait for her there during the rest of the week.

 _What if my assumption were wrong and I missed out on a chance to see her?_

I told myself that the café was on my agenda every morning anyway, refusing to dwell much on the fact that the timing of my visit had changed significantly to make sure that I wouldn't miss seeing Isabella if she were to make an appearance.

I stopped buying a second cup for her, though, so at least that was a step away from the creepville I'd been heading for.

 _Wasn't it?_

I shook off the thoughts as I pushed the door open on this bright, sunny Thursday morning. I drew in a deep breath, welcoming the rich aroma of coffee beans that permeated the air.

I'd barely taken a step inside before I stopped short, sending the unsuspecting patron behind me careening into my back. His momentum jolted me forward and I staggered on my feet, but it was nothing compared to the shock coursing through my body.

Because nothing could've prepared me for the sight that greeted my eyes.

Tucked into the same booth where I'd been sitting last week was Isabella Swan with two cups of coffee lined side by side on the table before her.

I blinked once, half expecting the vision of her would disappear when I opened my eyes again.

And my heart belted out a pounding rhythm when I realized that she was still there . . . waiting for me.

I forced my feet to thaw, focusing all my attention on moving one in front of the other until I was standing just a few inches away from where she sat.

"Hey," she began. Her voice was quiet, almost subdued. It shook me out of my daze.

"Hi."

 _It was a start._

She waved a hand toward the seat, inviting me to sit.

 _She didn't have to ask me twice._

Sitting on the opposite side afforded me an uninterrupted view of her, and I took advantage of it. She had left her hair down today, and it framed her heart-shaped face, the tendrils curling softly where they splayed over her shoulders. Her lips pulled up the tiniest bit at the corners, revealing her uncertainty as well as her willingness to be here for whatever she had in mind. Her eyes were wide open, curious as they took me in. After a moment of silence, she lifted one pale, delicate hand to her cheek, coiling a lock of her hair around her finger before tucking it behind the shell of her ear. She shifted in her seat and cleared her throat, breaking the spell that seemed to have enveloped us.

"I, um . . . I didn't know what you liked, but I guessed . . . I mean, you seemed like a guy who . . . Here," she stammered out eventually, just pushing the coffee toward me.

I took it with a smile. "Thank you." I sipped at it, my smile widening when I realized that she wasn't too far off-base in guessing my preference. "This is great. Thank you."

My acceptance seemed to bring her relief. She breathed out and smiled a little wider.

"I wanted to thank you, Mr. Masen." She paused for a few seconds, then pushed her glasses up her nose. "And apologize to you."

"Edward, please," I interrupted softly.

She let out another breath. "Edward." I ignored the way the sound of my name on her lips nearly drove me crazy. "I'm sorry for the way I acted. I've never been fired out of a job before this. I've always prided myself on being a good, efficient employee, so I didn't handle what happened too well. I shouldn't have taken it out on you. You were just doing your job. And then you went out of your way to help me find work, I . . ."

I'd been loathe to interrupt her, recognizing her need to get it all out there, but when she trailed off into silence, her eyes emanating sadness and shame, I couldn't resist.

"I understand, Isabella. I appreciate your apology. But I only did that because I felt just as terrible about what had happened. So you see, I'm actually pretty selfish. I was making myself feel better."

As I'd hoped, my words chased away the dejection on her face. The lovely smile it left in its wake made my chest swell.

"I doubt that," she told me. "But still . . . thank you."

"You're welcome," I returned, putting that matter to rest.

"That's all I needed to say. I guess I should go." She bit her lip and grabbed her coffee.

"Do you, uh, have somewhere you need to be?" I asked. "I mean, if you have some time, maybe . . . maybe you could join me for breakfast?"

Her eyes grew wide, but she made no move to get out of her seat, which pleased me immensely. "I wouldn't want to intrude."

"You could never intrude. Please, I insist."

She smiled coyly, then nodded. Suppressing the ear-splitting grin that threatened to break out on my face, I called for the waitress. She took our orders and returned quickly with Isabella's warm, buttery scone and my bagels.

We bit into our food, sharing gentle, tentative smiles as a few minutes passed in silence.

"I'm almost afraid to ask, but did anything from the list work out for you?" I watched her carefully as I attempted to satisfy my curiosity, dreading her ire. But thankfully, it never came.

"I've made my way through half of your list so far," she told me pleasantly. "I got a couple of callbacks. Let's see. This is all such a matter of being at the right place at the right time. I'm sure it'll work out, but it'll take a little time."

My eyebrows rose in surprise, while I gulped down the last of my coffee.

"That's a far cry from your approach to the matter last week," I blurted without second thought and then winced.

But she just chuckled. "I know. I was being a pest. Like I said, I just wasn't used to feeling like a failure. I handled it badly. Plus, my parents . . ." She shook her head, leaving it at that. It made me curious, but it didn't seem like something she wanted to discuss. "Anyway, when I saw the lists you'd made for me, the effort you put into it, I realized I was being a brat. How would I find a job without even looking for one? Sitting on my ass feeling pissed with life and fate and whatever was serving no purpose. Once I gained that clarity, I've managed to pick myself back up. Again, thank you for that kick in the butt. I needed it."

The mention of said butt created vivid imageries in my mind, but I cleared my throat and shrugged them off.

"You're absolutely right. Something _will_ work out. Just don't give up."

She flashed me a sweet smile. "I won't." But then her face fell, her eyes donning a guarded look. "Do you . . . Do you mind if I ask you about the case? I understand if you can't tell me," she rushed to say. "But it's just . . . I've seen a few things on the news, but I don't quite understand."

"Ask away," I allayed her hesitance. "You're right, I might not be able to answer all your questions, but I'll do my best."

And that's exactly what I did.

For the next thirty minutes or so, I helped her understand what had happened to Carmen without giving away anything that wasn't already a matter of public record. Isabella's eyes welled up when I told her about the drug addiction that'd taken away one of her friends, a fellow model, and how it opened Carmen's eyes to what could've just as easily been her fate. She'd known of Marcus' involvement in supplying drugs to all those in his employment, including herself and her friend. She'd decided to so everything in her power to expose his disgusting, heartless face to the public.

"When she became too much of a liability, Marcus hired a henchman to . . . take her out of the equation. He was careful, distancing himself completely, but he was just as cocky. After a lot of effort, we followed the few breadcrumbs he'd left in his arrogance so that we could to get to the henchman, who eventually led us to Marcus."

Isabella shivered and wrapped her hands tight around her cup. "It's so . . . heartbreaking. Poor Carmen. She put herself back together, fought for her friend and . . . I'm glad you guys caught him. I can hardly believe. . . I mean, I know he was probably the worst boss in the world, but for someone to be this heartless . . . He deserves the most severe punishment for what he did to Carmen. God knows how many other lives he has ruined just to grease his already overflowing pockets!" She shook her head as if to clear her mind of unpleasant thoughts before turning to me with a small smile. "You should be proud of yourself. I'm sure it wasn't easy to build a case against such an influential man, especially for your first homicide case."

I shrugged, trying to remain calm despite the fact that her compliment made me feel like I could fly. "Thank you, Isabella. But it wasn't just me. My partner, Detective Crowley is a lot more experienced. I'm sure we wouldn't have gotten to this point without his sharp instincts, not to mention the forensic department," I added, thinking of the partial print they'd pulled off and matched with the henchman.

We'd gotten lucky with Marcus' arrogance that made him taunt Carmen on the phone, not knowing that she'd been recording the call. The henchman, Aro had been instructed to retrieve the secret phone from Carmen's house, but couldn't because he would've risked being spotted by one of the neighbors had he stayed there any longer. If he had stolen the phone, we might not have had any reason to suspect Marcus.

Yes, we'd gotten lucky.

But that didn't lessen the satisfaction I gained from watching Marcus and Aro get what they deserved.

Isabella slowly rose to her feet, bringing me back to the present.

"Regardless, I believe it's an important achievement, Edward. Thanks again for sharing it with me," she told me. "It has been great talking to you. I'm sorry to cut this short, but I need to head out. Got an interview to attend in a couple of hours."

"Oh, it was nice seeing you, too. Good luck for the interview. I'm sure you'll do great."

I yearned to add something more, maybe one of the dozen questions about her life that arose in my mind during our conversation, or maybe something about seeing her again. But she had already slipped out of the booth and was calling the waitress over to settle her share of the check. The words died on my tongue as I gave her a parting smile.

She returned it easily, even throwing in a little wave before she made her way toward the door.

As much as I longed for more, the fact remained that this was the best end to any of our meetings so far.

For now, that was enough.

* * *

 **A/N: Before you begin to worry, let me reiterate Edward's thoughts:** _I helped her understand what had happened to Carmen_ _without giving away anything that wasn't already a matter of public record_ _._

 **Okay? No unnecessary drama there.**

 **Teasers, photographs, and other details about my stories can be found in my Facebook group: Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed. The link is available on my profile here.**

 **See you next time!**

* * *

 **FIC REC – The Peanut Butter Sandwich Man by readingmama –** Edward Cullen is a man of routines. When a homeless girl distracts him from said routine, Edward finds it is time for a change.


	7. Chapter 7: Adjustment

**A/N: Nothing much to say this time around :) I'll let you get on with it.  
**

 **All my thanks to Payton79 and Pamela for their help. I couldn't do this without them!  
**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 7: ADJUSTMENT**

When I made my way into _The Busy Bean_ the next Thursday, I encountered something familiar yet unexpected.

Seated at the same booth as last week was Isabella, the sight of her sending a jolt of delight through my chest. But what made me pause was the beaming grin that was lighting up her lovely face. She was practically bouncing in her seat as she waved at me. I pondered over the reason for her exhilaration before the proverbial lightbulb sparked to life in my head.

"Something worked out, didn't it?" I confirmed as soon as I was within earshot.

She nodded quickly. My own excitement mounted as I took my seat across from her.

"It's at this little boutique across town. Oh, Edward, it's perfect! I just got the confirmation call last night, and I start on Monday. I couldn't wait to share the news with you. I was keyed up all night, but still managed to oversleep this morning. When I didn't see you here, I was afraid I'd missed you."

"Of course not. I just happened to be late, too. That's great news, though, Isabella! I'm so happy for you. Let me go get my coffee, and then you can tell me more about it."

By the time I returned to the table, Isabella had already finished her beverage and was more than ready to start talking. I leaned back and sipped at my drink, smiling at her happiness.

"So, like I said, it's a small but upcoming boutique across town. I would've loved it if it were a little closer to my place, but the work is perfect for me, so I don't mind the commute much. The owner has recently expanded her business. She needed someone to step in as a _jack of all_."

I lifted my eyebrows, and she chuckled.

"Yeah, that's how she put it. She basically needs me to fill in for whatever role is required. She has never had a secretary before, and she says my duties will go beyond that sometimes, so she doesn't want to label me as such. Co-manager, would probably be an apt description. Once we get into the groove, she can find out what job I can be a master of, and then would allocate my permanent duties accordingly."

"She sounds like an interesting person."

"Oh, she really is! She seems genuinely friendly and understanding. After having tolerated Marcus for four months, I practically fell in love at first sight with my new boss."

I couldn't help but laugh at that, and she joined in.

"I know I already said this before but really, Edward, thank you. The advertisement for this job in the paper was a little . . . strange. I don't know if my pessimism would've allowed me to go for it had it not been on your list. I mean, I told myself that if a cop didn't find it suspicious, it was likely to be safe. Of course now that I've met Alice, I totally get it. It's just so like her to phrase the ad— Hey, are you okay?"

I grabbed the paper napkin she held out to me, patting my mouth while I coughed violently to dislodge the coffee that'd made its way into my windpipe. It took me a minute and Isabella's eyes were wide with concern as she watched me gasp for breaths.

"I'm fine," I choked out eventually.

I drew in a few deep breaths to calm myself.

"Alice, you say? Is that your boss?"

She stared at me worriedly for a minute, so I smiled, silently telling her I was okay and ready to move on from my moment of spaz. It worked, and the tension melted away from her face.

"Yes, Alice Cullen. The boutique is called _Trending_. Isn't that cute?" she gushed.

I simply nodded.

I motioned for the waitress, trying to steer the conversation away from the potentially dangerous topic of Isabella's boss. We ordered ourselves some breakfast, and once that was done, I gently steered Isabella's thoughts toward her apartment, inquiring about any progress she'd made on the roommate front.

Fortunately, she followed my lead.

"Rosalie is nice, and the place isn't bad, either," she told me with a sheepish shrug, her cheeks growing pink while she averted her eyes. "She comes off as a little cold at first, but she's a loyal, honest person. Given that I had such a negative view of what my life had become when I first met her, it's no surprise she wasn't ready to trust me just yet. I see that now."

"Didn't you say she had lived there alone before you arrived? Maybe it was an adjustment for her as well."

"I'm sure it was," she agreed. "She had fallen on some hard times, too, and couldn't make rent on her own. The landlord is a kind lady, an old acquaintance of my mother's. She knew I was looking for a place, so she suggested that Rosalie take me in and solve both our troubles. Anyway, the point is that once I shed my glasses of doom and despair, we were able to reach a healthy level of understanding. I'd say she's well on her way to becoming one of my closest friends now."

We talked a bit about pesky neighbors, sharing anecdotes until our food arrived. Comfortable silence ensued for a few minutes while we both dug in, then we picked the conversation right back up. We circled around some generic topics before I put forth a question that'd bugged me since the week I'd spent waiting for her in vain.

"Why do you come here just on Thursdays?"

For the first time today, her eyes lost their shine, and I immediately regretted asking the question. She didn't look sad per se, just a little uncomfortable and certainly not like her happy self from a few minutes ago.

"I'm sorry if I've made you uncomfortable. That was not my intention. Ignore me, okay? I was just curious. Feel free to tell me to fuck off."

That brought a smirk to her face. "I'm not going to tell you to fuck off. I've refrained from stooping to that level even when you've given me ample opportunity in the past. Why would I do so now?"

"Funny," I deadpanned.

"I know I am," she returned swiftly. "Anyway . . . I don't mind answering your question. You just caught me off guard. As much as I'd love to come here and treat myself every day, I have a terrible metabolism. I'd been on the . . . heavier side for most of my childhood. Then high school rolled around, and . . . you know how it is. I was luckier than most—there was no bullying or such. But there are always these sideways glances and whispered words you can't escape. My self-esteem took a serious hit right before junior prom, and I refused to let strangers chip away at pieces of me anymore. I worked hard to get myself to the point where I could love myself." She gave me a proud smile. "But I can't alter genetics, so I really need to watch what I eat to keep myself fit."

"So Thursdays are for indulgence?"

"You could say that. Who isn't miserable in the middle of the week? The weekend is so close you can almost taste it, yet there's a couple of days' worth bullshit to endure before you can get there. Thursday morning is perfect for a little pick-me-up."

The amount of thought she'd put into this impressed me, and I told her so.

"But I'm sure they have low-calorie alternatives here."

That made her grimace. "True, but . . . I'm afraid I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to my coffee."

"A snob?" I rubbed my palms together, leaning forward to hold her gaze. "Are you telling me you're one of those foo-foo coffee drinkers?" I tilted my head toward her cup. "What was in there?"

She folded her arms across her chest and glared at me. "Mocha latte."

"And?"

"Caramel. A hint of hazelnut. Whipped cream—lots of it."

I gaped at her. "Seriously? Does that even qualify as coffee?"

"Hey! Don't knock it until you've tried it." She scrunched up her face toward my cup. "It's certainly more interesting than your boring one."

I chuckled and shook my head. "Whatever you say."

"Moving on," she dragged out the words. "That's how it is for me. Either I go all out and indulge, or don't have it at all. The rest of the week, my morning begins with homemade fruit smoothies."

"All jokes aside, I respect your rules. I really do. I don't think I could ever give up my daily dose of coffee, _boring_ as it may be." I narrowed my eyes, and she responded with a smirk. I ducked my head a little, holding her gaze steadily. "But for what it's worth, the people in your school were jerks. I have no doubt you were just as beautiful back then as you are now, Isabella."

My lips curled up when her breath hitched at my words. She remained silent for a moment, just regarding me carefully while her cheeks tinged a delicate shade of pink. I longed to reach out and free her lower lip from where it was trapped underneath her teeth, but I folded my fingers into a fist instead, not wanting to cross any more boundaries today.

"Bella," she murmured eventually.

"I'm sorry?"

The beginning of a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "My friends call me Bella."

* * *

 **A/N: Just one more week. I have to make it through one more week to get to the other side, where there's time for reading, writing, and napping. Oh, and review replies, of course! It seems far away right now, LOL! Soon. *sighs*  
**

 **See you next time!**

* * *

 **FIC REC **–** Cotton Belt by ThisIsReallyHappening – **I wasn't supposed to fall in love, especially with a boy like him. But when it happened, I took the whole damn town down with me. I soon figured out, falling was the easy part.


	8. Chapter 8: Explain

**A/N: Exams are over for now! Thank you for all your good wishes. Overall, they went very well. So basically, if you choose to leave a review, expect a response from me in your inbox.**

 **As always, thanks to Payton79 and Pamela for their support.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 8: EXPLAIN**

 _Friends._

The word lingered in my mind for the rest of the week.

I would be lying if I said that I didn't want to be so much more than that to Isab—to _Bella_. But on the other hand, I firmly believed that friendship was such an underrated relationship. A foundation built on friendship was capable of withstanding anything life threw in its path.

And given our volatile beginning, I could only be grateful for having reached this point.

It'd been two weeks since the day Bella had labelled me as her friend. We'd continued to meet at the café on Thursdays, something I eagerly looked forward to during the rest of the week.

I couldn't deny that it was her beauty that'd held me captive, drawing me in since my first sight of her, but getting to know the woman behind that lovely visage had only made her more stunning, more _real_ in my eyes.

Yesterday, Bella had spent most of our time gushing about her job. It'd been hard not to let my anxiety show every time she mentioned her boss, but I gritted my teeth and made myself smile. Seeing how excited she was about everything made it all worth it. I didn't want to rain on her parade, and I was worried that if I revealed the truth, she might not want to continue working at the boutique.

Even worse, she might not want to see me anymore.

I knew that hiding this little truth could blow up in my face just as badly as the revelation. I'd spent hours fretting over the issue, but hadn't been able to reach any conclusion on how to tackle it best.

Whenever my mind refused to offer a solution, I'd always relied on a combination of impulse and instinct. The modus operandi had served me well on most occasions, so I decided to stick with it.

Which was why I found myself pacing outside _Trending_ on this cloudy Friday morning.

I squinted up at the sky, hoping with all my might that the blanket of grey that'd shrouded the city wasn't an omen of how this day would go.

My thoughts ran around in circles, leaving me almost dizzy.

 _Bella and I clicked on Thursday mornings. Was I ruining what we had by picking out a Friday to do this? Would it be better to bring this up next week when we meet at the café?_

 _What if Alice let the cat out of the bag before then? Would it be better or worse for me to be present while Bella found out I'd hidden something from her?_

 _Was there a right answer here?_

Shaking my head at my own stalling, I pulled in a deep breath and then pushed the door open. A little chime from the bell overhead alerted Bella to my presence. She looked up from the computer screen so quickly that her glasses tumbled an inch down the bridge of her nose. The adorable sight made my lips pull up into a smile, the knot in my chest loosening somewhat.

"Edward! What a pleasant surprise!" She stepped around the counter as I walked further into the store. "What are you doing here?"

"I-uh . . ." I raked a hand through my hair, stalling again while my eyes travelled around the room. "Today's my day off, so I though—"

"Edward?" a surprised voice rang out from the back, and I hung my head.

The sound of heels clanking against the hardwood floors heralded Alice's arrival. She hung up the garment bag she was carrying on the appropriate shelf before making her way toward me with a huge grin. Bella took an automatic step back, appearing shocked while Alice wrapped her slender arms around my neck and pulled my cheek down to plant a kiss.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Alice demanded, flicking a lock of her dark hair off her forehead. "I haven't seen you here since the inauguration."

"I just . . ." I trailed off helplessly, sneaking a glance toward a still-dazed Bella.

Alice didn't miss it. "Oh, I'm sorry! I'm being so rude. Edward, this is Isabella Swan," she announced with a smile. "The woman who has been single-handedly saving my butt and my boutique in the past few weeks. Bella, this is Detective Edward Masen from the homicide division of the police department, fondly known as my big brother."

My apprehensive gaze met Bella's shocked one. She stayed still for so long, Alice turned around to see why she hadn't gotten a response.

"Bella? What's wrong?"

That seemed to thaw her out of the haze. "Your- your brother?" she stuttered.

"Yes, I told you about him, didn't I?"

"You never mentioned his name."

"I didn't? Huh. Well, you know me. Too many tabs open in my brain at once. It's hard to keep track sometimes." Alice let out a giggle, but neither Bella nor I shared her amusement. She finally picked up on the tension floating around the room and cocked an eyebrow. "Okay, what's going on here? Am I missing something?"

I cleared my throat. "Actually, Ali, Bella and I have known each other for a month or so."

That caught my sister off guard. "Really?"

"Yeah. I met her during the Volturi case. We've cultivated somewhat of a friendship since then."

"Well, I didn't know that, but it's a nice coincidence! Such a small world," Alice commented easily, her acceptance instantaneous, but I suspected Bella wouldn't react the same way.

My fears were confirmed when she muttered, "I doubt that. Please excuse me for a moment."

My face fell as I watched her rush out of the door. Alice's eyes followed her retreat before turning to me with a dozen questions burning in their hazel depths.

"I'll explain later," I told her and then traced Bella's steps.

She was standing right outside, leaning against the glass window of the boutique's display. Her arms wrapped tightly around her frame, she seemed to be pulling in deep breaths to calm herself. I approached her cautiously.

"Just explain," she blurted out bluntly. "Don't beat around the bush and don't lie. Just tell me the truth."

"That's why I'm here," I admitted. "I knew both you and Alice would be here at this time. I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth before, but I felt terribly guilty about it. That's why I came here today."

"You don't share the same last name. You don't look anything like each other."

"No, we don't. Alice is actually my first cousin. But we spent most of our childhood under one roof, so I've always called her my sister." I stepped closer, relieved when she didn't object to my proximity, and mimicked her posture. "I lost my parents when I was five. Alice's parents, my aunt and uncle, didn't hesitate to take me in. Over the years, the memories of my parents slowly faded away, but I wanted to keep a piece of them with me forever. So I didn't change my name to Cullen. Fortunately, Carlisle and Esme were very supportive of my decision."

"I'm really sorry about your parents," Bella told me quietly. "I need to know, Edward. This job . . . Did you . . . did you ask Alice to—"

I shook my head and cut off that idea immediately. "I swear I didn't. You saw it yourself in there. Alice was genuinely surprised about me knowing you."

"But when I gave you her name, the name of the boutique, you _knew_ exactly who and what I was talking about." The confusion and hurt that laced her voice threatened to rip me apart. "All this time . . . you never told me I was working for your sister."

"Because I knew how much you loved this job, and I didn't know if you'd feel the same way if you knew the truth," I explained. "I thought . . . well, I thought that you'd be mad, and I didn't want to ruin this for you. Bella, the only reason I included _Trending_ in that list I gave you was because I'd spoken to Alice just earlier that morning. She'd told me she was looking for an employee she could trust, someone efficient and loyal, and her words stuck with me when I was jotting down the ads. All the others I got were only from the newspaper. By the time I gave you the list, I'd even forgotten I'd included this one there. You can't imagine how astounded I was when you told me you were going to start working here."

To my surprise, she snorted. "Actually, I _can_ imagine it . . . even picture it vividly. That was the day you managed to inhale your coffee into your windpipe."

My mouth twisted into a grimace. "Figures you'd remember that."

She let out a shrug, staring straight ahead for a moment before slowly turning to face me. The vulnerability that lingered in her expression made me want to pull her close to my chest.

"You really didn't have anything to do with me getting this job, Edward?" Her bottomless eyes beseeched me as her voice trembled. "You didn't ask Alice to hire me?"

"Absolutely not," I affirmed, holding her gaze steadily. "I promise that this was all _you_. You told me you fell in love with your new boss at first sight. Well, from what I've heard, the feeling was mutual. We've only spoken very briefly about you on the phone, but Alice made sure to tell me quite clearly how happy she was to have you on board in this transition, even though she knew nothing about my connection to you. She was just sharing her honest thoughts with me. Please don't doubt yourself, and please don't give up this job, okay? Alice really enjoys working with you, and that has absolutely _nothing_ to do with me knowing you."

I was shocked when a couple of tears slipped out from the corner of her eye. While I'd been expecting an overreaction, the vulnerability she was projecting caught me completely off-guard. I could sense a reason behind it, but this was not the time to ask.

Giving in to myself a little, I reached out and brushed away her tears with my thumb, my fingertips ghosting along her jaw.

"Everyone involved is happy about you working here, so please don't let my stupidity ruin it for you," I implored. "You've made your way into Alice's good books all on your own, and I have no doubt you're going to be a steady member in there. I know how hard you've worked in the past two weeks. You've earned all the praise she showers on you, Bella. Please believe me."

I watched her shoulders rise and fall as she let out a ragged breath. Each second that ticked by in silence was like a shard twisting through my gut, and I struggled to hold on to my composure as I waited.

And then, an endless moment later, a ray of sunshine broke through the mist and clouds, her mouth curving up a little at the corners while her eyes crinkled with the hint of a smile.

"Thank you," she whispered, closing the gap between us to rest her forehead against my chest.

Even stunned as I was, my arms rose automatically to fold around her frame. Her soft tresses tickled the underside of my chin as I held her to me. We stayed like that for a moment. I breathed in her scent, relished in the warmth of her skin under my fingertips, making the most of those precious seconds before she stepped back.

"You told me once that it was just a matter of being at the right place at the right time. Out of all the jobs you applied to and interviewed for, _this_ was the only one that worked out," I told her. "Despite the commute, despite Alice's strange advertisement, you found your way here. I never considered myself a big believer in fate and such, but maybe it was what brought you here."

"Maybe," she agreed softly, her eyes holding mine.

"I know you like your rules and the control, the structure they bring. I know you're not a fan of change. But . . ." I swallowed once before soldiering on. "But sometimes, it's good to step out of the boxes we create for ourselves. You never know what beauty you might stumble across on an unexplored path."

 _She_ had _to know where I was going with this, right?_

The blush rising on her cheeks, tinging her porcelain skin told me she did.

"So while we're on the subject of seizing the day, I-uh . . . There's something I've been meaning to ask you for a while now."

"What's that?" she murmured, and I allowed myself to believe that the gentle sparkle in her eyes was one of anticipation.

I sucked in a deep breath.

"I was wondering if you'd like to have dinner with me this weekend."

* * *

 **A/N: How's that for seizing?**

 **If Bella's reaction surprised you . . . Just trust me on the whys of that for now. We'll get to it soon.**

 **Teasers, photographs, and other details about my stories can be found in my FB group:** **Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed** **. The link is available on my profile here.**

 **See you next time!**

* * *

 **FIC REC – Pity by SunKing** **–** "No. No, no, no. You've done the ultimate no, Bella. The pity date. Nothing is ever more awkward than the pity date." A shy Edward acts on a decade's worth of affection, and Bella wonders if her yes should have been no.


	9. Chapter 9: Mess

**A/N: I'm so sleepy!**

 **Yes, I realize that was random. But that's all I've got on my mind at the moment, so it just came out.**

 **Moving on . . . many thanks to Payton79 and Pamela for helping me stay on track.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 9: MESS**

 _"_ _Yes."_

Such a tiny little word, but so unbelievably strong in its connotation.

I'd barely stopped myself from lifting Bella into my arms and spinning her around the moment she had agreed to go out with me. But freaking her out right after she'd said her first _yes_ to me—hopefully, the first of many—didn't seem like a smart choice.

Instead, I'd given her the most grateful smile I could and hoped it conveyed what her acceptance meant to me. She'd responded with the cutest upturn of her lips, her eyes dropping shyly. It wasn't an expression I'd ever seen on her face. I'd be lying if I said it didn't send my heart soaring.

Two days later, I was still riding the high of that exhilaration as I rode the elevator to Bella's floor.

I pursed my lips and blew out a breath, rolling my shoulders. I adjusted my jacket, buttoning, then unbuttoning it before raking a hand through my hair. Nodding to myself, I raised my hand to knock.

I thought I heard a girlish giggle on the other side of the door, but had no chance to focus on it because two seconds later, Bella was standing before me.

I could do nothing but gape at her for a few seconds, taking in the gorgeous vision she was from head to toe. She'd twisted her chestnut curls into a ponytail that flowed over her left shoulder. She was wearing a black dress, the plain fabric of the top blending into sheer lace around her neck. The floral skirt hugged her waist and then flared down to her knees. The sight of her svelte legs encased in black heels sent a myriad of inappropriate ideas coursing through my mind, so I quickly returned my gaze to her face.

The smirk dancing on her cherry-red lips told me that my gawking hadn't gone unnoticed. Her eyes were full of mirth, so I smirked back, letting her see the effect she had on me.

"Ready to go?"

She was about to reply, but was cut short by a shout from inside her apartment.

"Be back by curfew, kiddos!"

Bella huffed and rolled her eyes, quickly shutting the door behind her.

"I apologize for Rose," she said, nudging me toward the elevator. "She has been a pain in the ass all day. She thinks she needs to fill in for my father, like this is some goddamn high school prom."

I let out a chuckle. "It's alright, Bella. I'm just glad to see you both are getting along now. I wouldn't have minded reassuring her that I'll bring you back safe and sound, you know?"

"Please! This was embarrassing enough," she muttered, and I detected a bit of petulance in her tone.

We rode down the elevator in silence. Her presence beside me seemed to calm my nerves, but given the way she was fidgeting with the strap of her purse, my company probably didn't do the same for her. I pressed my lips together, curious and disappointed about the development. I wanted her to have a good time tonight. If there was something on her mind preventing her from doing so, I wondered if she would feel comfortable sharing it with me.

There was only one way to find out.

Once we stepped out of the elevator, I placed my hand on her arm to make her pause.

"Hey, are you okay? You seem . . . upset. If you don't want to do thi—"

Her eyes went wide, and she grabbed my hand in hers. "No, no. That's not it. Of course I want to be with you. I'm not upset, Edward. Just nervous."

I frowned, stroking her knuckles with my thumb. "Why?"

She shrugged and averted her eyes. "I don't know. I mean, I'm excited, too. But a little nervous about messing this up. Friendship is easy, but dating brings a lot of . . . expectations."

"Bella," I murmured, bringing my free hand up to her chin. I lifted her face until our eyes met. "It's just me. I'm excited about tonight because . . . well, I've thought about this moment since the first time I saw you, which is exactly what makes me nervous, too. Trust me, I get what you're saying. But I know I'm going to have a great evening because I'm spending it with _you_. I don't want you to worry about messing anything up. Just be yourself. That's the woman who has captured my heart."

Her lips parted, a soft gasp escaping them, and for a moment, I wondered if I'd said too much. But then she gave my hand a little squeeze before interlocking our fingers together. Her cheeks flushed with pleasure as she whispered, "Okay."

Seconds later, the mischievous spark I knew so well returned to her eyes. "Wait, did you just say that you've wanted to date me since the day you got me _fired_? Interesting way to get a girl's attention."

I rolled my eyes and began to pull her toward my car. "It worked, didn't it? Besides, I thought we'd established that you were supposed to be thankful that I protected you from that monster."

"Thankful for getting me fired? Yeah, right. Dream on, Masen. I'll have you know that the only reason I have this outfit you can't take your eyes off is because of Volturi and his requirement of an impeccably dressed staff. You should show him a little gratitude."

I narrowed my eyes at her as I held the door open for her to get in. "Don't tell me you haven't been enjoying slugging it in your comfy jeans at _Trending_."

She hummed. "Can't argue with that. Your reaction upstairs made this effort worth it, though."

"Can't argue with that," I echoed, throwing in a wink. I shut the door once she was settled and walked around to my side.

The drive to the restaurant was pleasant as we chatted about little things, and Bella seemed to put her qualms behind her. What made it even better was the fact that our hands remained pressed together on the console. Bella tried to get me to reveal our destination, but I remained steadfast in my decision of keeping it a surprise.

When I pulled into a parking spot, she craned her neck to read the name of the establishment.

"I've never been here before," she told me as I helped her step out of the car.

"Me either."

Her eyebrows rose. "Then how did you decide to bring me here?"

I rubbed a hand along the back of my neck. "Actually, one of my co-workers was telling me about it a few days ago. She'd dined here with her family and really enjoyed the food. When you agreed to this date, I immediately zeroed down on this place because I thought it would be perfect for us."

Bella accepted my explanation and smiled. I let go of her hand, placing mine on the small of her back instead as we made our way inside. I'd called ahead to reserve a table, so it didn't take us long to settle in.

We shared a smile before we picked up the menu cards. As soon as my eyes landed on the special section on the second page, my heart leapt into my throat.

Slowly, I lifted my gaze to Bella's face, recognizing the exact moment when the same words caught her attention. A frown flitted across her brow, but quickly cleared up before she turned her attention to me. Her eyes widened a little when she realized I'd already been watching her.

"They seem to have a lot of . . . _healthier_ items."

She'd said it in a low voice that conveyed no hint of the emotion behind them.

I cleared my throat. "Uh, yeah, they do. They're renowned for making delicious low-calorie dishes."

"So _that's_ what made you zero down on this place," she concluded.

"I just didn't want to mess up your diet plan," I told her. "I know you prefer to indulge only on Thursdays and how important that is to you. I didn't want to force you to change your routine for our date." She regarded me steadily as she listened, so I punctuated my explanation with a smile. But it fell in the very next second when I realized that my idea could be misconstrued.

"Not that I'm saying you _need_ to stick to your diet. You look absolutely perfect right now, as I'm sure you would at any size. Of course you don't need to watch what you eat. I mean, you are free to eat whatever you'd like." The words poured out of me in a desperate, hurried gush.

It was only the amused twitch of her lips that halted my stream of nonsense.

"Well, that's good to know," she drawled.

"Can you . . . You understand what I'm saying, don't you, Bella? I didn't mean . . ." I dropped my face into my palm and groaned. "I'm making a mess of this. You know what? Can we just forget the past one minute ever happened?"

"Nope," she replied, and I sighed. She let out a hearty chuckle, and there was no sound of heels clanking away from the table and away from me. That gave me the courage to meet her eyes again. "We're definitely not disregarding the past one minute. It made me feel so much better about my little freak-out at my apartment."

I rolled my eyes. "Happy to be of service."

She flashed me a grin, but then her face softened. She pushed her hand toward mine where it lay on the table. Her index finger traced the length of mine as she continued. "I do understand what you were trying to do by bringing me here, and I appreciate it, Edward. I really do. I think it's thoughtful of you to consider my diet."

I hooked our fingers together, basking in the thrill that little action elicited within me. Bella ducked her head to look at our hands. The gentle curve of her smile told me she felt it, too.

"Besides," she went on playfully. "Two freak-outs even before we've decided on our first course? I think this is already shaping up to be a pretty interesting evening."

* * *

 **A/N: I hope you share that sentiment because we're going to see more of this evening next time.**

 **Thank you for the love you've shown this story so far. I really appreciate it. As of this moment, my FB group houses a little under 400 members. That's a huge deal for me, so I'm over the moon! Teasers, photographs, and other details about my stories can be found in there, so look for:** **Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed** **on FB. The link is available on my profile here.**

 **See you next time!**

* * *

 **FIC REC – Sleeping to Dream by Somah –** The newspapers say it all: Bella Swan is dead. But no one is sure why she jumped from the cliffs at First Beach. No one really knows why her body wasn't ever found. But everyone knows her coffin is empty and that the Cullens are back.


	10. Chapter 10: Family

**A/N: Surprise! Updating a day earlier to wish you all a very Happy Diwali! May this Festival of Lights bring you and your family love, peace, and prosperity. Consider this my Diwali gift to you. ;)**

 **You guys left me such lovely reviews last time! I thanked you all personally, but consider this another shout-out because one wasn't enough to express my happiness. My pre-readers are aware that writing romance scares me, so to know that you all found my E/B cute/sweet/adorkable means A LOT to me.**

 **Payton79 and Pamela are the awesome ladies who devote their time to make sure these chapters are ready for you.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 10: FAMILY**

In the end, Bella decided to honor her rules partly by ordering a salad and picking out a more indulgent item for the main course.

"Compromise," she'd whispered, throwing in a conspiratorial wink that made me grin.

We sipped at some delicious Chardonnay while waiting for the food to be delivered. Our nerves settled after the embarrassing moments we'd decided not to speak of again, conversation flowed as easily as ever between us.

After sharing little titbits about the day we'd each had, we ended up discussing the tragic case that'd brought us together in the first place.

"I can't believe that Eleazar didn't come forward as soon as the news of the murder spread," Bella remarked passionately as she reached for the vinaigrette.

"He is a quirky fellow. Quite paranoid, too. You know, I'm not someone who believes in clichés, but this guy . . . he really is the embodiment of every hacker you've seen in movies and such. After spending all that time hidden behind his computer, he has no confidence in anything other than machines and his skill in handling them. He was terrified of getting into this business in the first place, and even more so when he learnt of what it did to Carmen."

"Yet he was helping Carmen in her quest to bring Marcus down," she reminded me, using the same words that'd been splashed all over the news in the past week, ever since Eleazar Ackner had come out of hiding to give us a statement on what he knew.

"Yeah," I sighed. "They were childhood friends who lost touch along the way. But when Carmen realized she would need technological guidance, she sought him out."

And she'd made the right call. The evidence Eleazar had managed to collect had tightened the noose further around Marcus' neck. While there were a few hearings remaining in the trial, the result was almost a foregone conclusion. The prosecution had submitted proof the defense counsel had been unable to refute.

"I'm glad that what Carmen set out to do is happening," Bella murmured.

"Me, too, Bella. It's far too often that the wealthy get away with heinous crimes. At least this once, we won't let that happen."

She gave me a smile, and the pride that lingered in her expression made my heart soar. I pushed all thoughts of the trial away, choosing to focus simply on the beautiful woman who'd graced me with her presence tonight.

As we polished off the rest of our meal, we gradually delved into the more personal aspects of each other's lives. While there were dozens of superficial bits of ourselves we'd shared with each other over coffee, I was eager to know more about her, to discover the various facets of her past that shaped her into the lovely person she was now.

I'd noticed her reticence in speaking of her family in the past, so instead of probing her about it, I simply launched into stories of my folks when she asked.

"I don't remember much of my parents, but what I do is all because of Esme and Carlisle. They were there for me in every way a parent should be. When I needed some distance, they respectfully gave me that. But once enough time had passed that I could handle thinking of my past, they helped me hold on to the family I'd lost. Be it old videos or stories recited through smiles and tears, they made sure that time couldn't sever that bond."

"They sound like wonderful people, Edward."

"They really are. Despite everything, I- I consider myself lucky to be a part of their family." I paused to take a breath, swallowing down the emotion rising in my chest. Bella reached out to place her hand over mine, squeezing it comfortingly. I shot her a grateful smile, letting the soft warmth of her touch anchor me to the present.

It was as perfect a segue I could get to inquire about her family and the reticence that emanated from her whenever the topic came up. But she looked so content as she sat there and listened to me that I loathed the idea of doing anything that could chase her happiness away.

A comfortable silence ensued while I was lost in thought, and possibly, she was feeling the same way. I'd almost decided to steer our talk back to safer areas when she shifted in her seat and straightened her shoulders.

"I was lucky, too. I mean, I _am_ lucky when it comes to family," she offered, her voice just a tad lower than it had been earlier in the evening. Her gaze held mine for a moment, then flickered away. I turned my palm over and gave hers a gentle squeeze, returning the comfort she'd offered me.

"I had a good childhood. My parents gave me everything I needed without hesitation. It's just that there were a lot of expectations to fulfil in return."

I couldn't help my reaction; my forehead crumpled into a frown at her words.

"No, that doesn't sound right," Bella rushed to say. "I never quite know how to explain the dynamics of my family." She huffed out a breath and fell silent for a few seconds. I remained quiet, too, allowing her the time she needed to gather her thoughts. "I never had any siblings or relatives who lived nearby, so it was always just the three of us. My mom has always been a fairly easy-going person, but my father . . . the polar opposite. He's a quiet man, but intimidating in his silence. Don't get me wrong, Edward. He has always been a good father, a good husband. But emotions have never been his strong suit. When things don't go his way, he doesn't like it. And he never needed to come out and yell at me . . . the silence of his disappointment always affected me stronger than any shouted words ever could." She looked down at our hands, twisting her fingers in my grasp.

"I don't believe you would've given him much reason to be disappointed, Bella."

Warmth shone in her chocolate eyes as they flicked up toward mine. "I always tried my best to fulfil his expectations. I was a good student, and I enjoyed most of my studies, so it wasn't that hard to keep my grades up. I didn't mind molding myself into rules that'd push me toward my goal. Even once I left for college, those habits of working as hard as I can to meet all expectations and deadlines, not indulging in too many distractions stuck with me. I think . . . I think being accountable to my dad's standards made me somewhat of a perfectionist. The things I do . . . I _need_ to do them well. Half-assed efforts are the stuff of my nightmares."

"That's why you were so angry at losing your job," I murmured, realization dawning on me.

A grimace flashed across her face. "Yeah. I told you I've never been fired before. I've always prided myself on that. I've never given my employers a reason to be that dissatisfied with me. As childish as it sounds, I was hugely bothered about the way that incident sullied my record."

"I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "It wasn't your fault. We've already covered that. With my parents breathing down my neck back then, I just didn't have the clarity required to realize and accept that."

I winced. "They were pissed, huh?"

"A bit," she sighed. "But I'm more concerned with their disappointment, remember? I never told them the whole story of what happened. The fact that I'd moved out here, two states away from my home to grab the job opportunity at Volturi only to have it snatched away from me four months later . . . yeah, that didn't sit well with my dad. He was worried about my finances, which were obviously in shambles. I'd had no time to build my nest egg, after all. Mom was trying to get me to move back there, if only for a little while. I just couldn't stomach that thought. I'd moved out on my own to prove myself—my worth. I wasn't ready to give up yet, but my mind was all tangled in emotions and practicality. I had to give up my apartment, after all the time I'd spent making it a place I could call home. You were just an unfortunate target in the way, Edward. I spent most of that week boiling over about the littlest of things."

"I'm sorry." She threw me an annoyed glance, so I held up my free hand. "I know, I know. It was nobody's fault. But I'm still sorry for what you had to deal with because of it. I'm allowed to say that, aren't I?"

She rolled her eyes, but her lips were already curving up at the corners. "Fine, I'll allow that. I have to say, though, we might not be here today if you hadn't barged into the hotel that day. That offers a different perspective on the matter, doesn't it?"

I leaned forward. "Are you saying you're ready to accept that it was a _good_ thing I got you fired?"

Bella snorted, pulling her hand away. "Don't push your luck, Detective. Count your blessings." She grabbed her spoon and popped the last morsel of her dinner into her mouth. I tipped my glass of wine in her direction before taking a sip. "Now I've had enough of my own voice. You heard my story. It's time to get back to you. Tell me when you decided to join the force."

Respecting her need to change the subject, I took a moment to consider her question. It wasn't something I hadn't encountered before from friends and family, but I wanted to make sure I gave her an honest answer.

"I don't really know. I mean, what happened to my parents was an accident. I've never lost a loved one to crime. Usually, people assume that's the reason someone would get into law enforcement, but that's not how it was for me. For as long as I can remember, I've felt strongly about justice. It's something every one of us deserves, but very few get. I've always wanted to do my part to change that. There was no pinpointing moment that defined my choice. Somehow, the ideas that were nothing but games in childhood became dreams, and then as I grew up, they grew, too, into something real. They became goals." My mouth pulled up into a smirk. "And as you know, once I set my mind to something, it isn't easy to make me back down."

"Even if your actions to achieve your goal border on stalker-ish tendencies."

"Even then," I agreed with a chuckle.

She picked up her glass and held it up. "To the underappreciated art of tenacity."

I echoed the sentiment before clinking my glass with hers.

Our eyes met over the rim and held, a spark fizzing along my skin as her tongue darted out to caress her lower lip, savoring the taste of the wine.

 _How could I possibly regret my persistence in chasing her down when it'd brought us together in the moment?_

* * *

 **A/N: In case I managed to confuse you . . . No, the information about Eleazar wasn't mentioned anywhere before this. I've put it here in this way so that it'd fit naturally into their conversation. At the same time, I've tried to incorporate all that you need to know about him to tie up the loose ends of the murder case. I hope it was clear enough to make sense.**

 **Teasers, photographs, and other details about my stories can be found in my FB group:** **Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed** **. The link is available on my profile here.**

 **See you next time!**

* * *

 **FIC REC – The Mail Order Bride (and its sequel: Bear Valley Ranch) by Mrs. Brownloe –** It's the late 1800s in the wild west. A lonely man seeks companionship; a woman restricted by convention seeks a future. Add those together and what do you get?


	11. Chapter 11: Decadent

**A/N: Hello. I hope life has been treating you kindly. Many thanks to those of you who left me such sweet reviews for Chapter 10. I appreciate you all more than I can express.**

 **Shout-out to Payton79 and Pamela for their help.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 11: DECADENT**

"I hope you found the food to your liking, ma'am."

"Oh, yes," Bella gushed to our waitress, making me grin. "It was delicious. Please convey my compliments to the chef."

"Certainly. Is there anything else I could get you? Perhaps one of our specials for dessert. Maybe a slice of our decadent chocolate cream pie?"

Bella turned to me, her eyes narrowed in a wince and her lower lip caught between her teeth. "I really shouldn't, but God, that sounds heavenly!"

I bit the inside of my cheek to hide my smirk before looking at the waitress. "Can we have one slice to share?"

"Of course, sir. I'll bring it out right away." She scuttled away with a smile, and Bella groaned as soon as she was out of hearing range.

"I'm so going to regret this tomorrow."

"You're fine, Bella. It'll be worth it, you'll see."

"Oh, I have no doubt." She snickered. "It has been a while since I treated myself to some chocolaty goodness, so you might have to struggle to get your spoon in there."

My eyes widened. "Seriously? And what do you call that miserable excuse for a coffee you subjected yourself to on Thursday?"

"Comparing a mocha latte to chocolate pie is blasphemy! I could have you arrested, Detective Masen."

"Mocha latte with hazelnut _and_ whipped cream," I pointed out, and she rolled her eyes. "Besides, if you're really that bothered by the calories, I'll help you burn them."

The words were out of my mouth before I could consider their numerous implications, and judging by the gasp that left her lips, she'd had no trouble landing on the most salacious one.

"I was talking about going for a run and then maybe grabbing some healthy breakfast together. But if you're so inclined, I have no problem in trying out whatever it was that has made your face go such a lovely shade of pink."

She recovered quickly and threw me a smug look. "You're the one planning out a second date even before the first one is over. If anyone's getting ahead of themselves here, it's not me." I shrugged, unrepentant, and she went on. "So you're a runner, huh?"

"Yeah, I enjoy it. I stick to my routine of five miles thrice a week, unless work throws a kink in the plans."

"Where do you even find the time?" she demanded. "You spend at least half-an-hour at _The Busy Bean_ every day before work."

"That has only been true since I met you. But, yeah, I go for a jog first, then shower and head out for coffee. I've always been an early riser."

"Ugh." Her nose scrunched up as though my words had offended her. "I'm jealous. I'm not a morning person _at all_. In fact, I think I'm allergic to mornings. _Good morning_ is the biggest oxymoron in my dictionary."

I shook my head and laughed. "Duly noted."

Our dessert arrived just then. The waitress deposited it with an unnecessary flourish, since Bella was already looking at the plate like it was a long-lost treasure. The rich aroma of chocolate hit my senses a second later, making my mouth water.

We dug in with gusto, and I had to admit—the pie did its description justice. _Decadent_ was just the word I would've used to describe its gooey goodness. Despite Bella's prediction, we managed to have our respective shares without any major scuffle.

When there was just the last bite remaining, I speared it with the fork and held it out. Her eyes locked with mine, she leaned forward to wrap her full lips around the offering. The mere sight of her tongue swiping across the corner of her mouth as she relished the taste was enough to make up for foregoing that final piece. My pants felt a little too tight when she let out a sound that was right in between a sigh and a moan, and I distracted myself by asking for the check.

Once that was settled, we headed out of the restaurant. Bella reached out and took my hand as we walked to the car, and I wasted no time in winding our fingers together.

"I think I'll take you up on that run and breakfast," she told me while I drove. She had leaned her head back to rest against the seat. With her eyes shut, the small smile dancing on her lips gave her an air of contentment. The fact that I'd had a role to play in that sent an inexplicable warmth surging through my veins.

Bella cracked one eye open and peered at me sideways. "Maybe on one of your days off, though. I'm not quite ready to brave the sunrise just yet."

"Sounds good to me." The tone of my voice matched her casual one, though my insides danced at the idea of another date with her.

It wasn't long before we reached her building. I helped her out of the car and let my fingers rest at the small of her back as we walked upstairs. I could hear the soft strains of television floating through the door once we reached her apartment.

She turned to face me. The playfulness that'd lingered between us all evening seemed to dissipate, something deeper taking its place as we looked at each other. Bella's mouth curled up into that coy smile she didn't seem to offer too often and which was well on its way to become my favorite one on her.

"I had a great time," she told me, and it was there in her voice, too—the whispered softness of her words hitting something deep within me, stroking the embers of feelings I was just beginning to understand. The beautiful glow of the blush blooming on her cheeks drew me in like a moth to a flame. I yearned to feel it under my fingertips.

"Me too." I stepped closer, reaching out for her hand, which she didn't hesitate to place in mine. My thumb caressed her knuckles while my free arm encircled her waist.

Her breathing hitched, and her hand ghosted across my chest before coming to rest along the side of my neck. I leaned in slowly, giving her time to back away or stop me, but she didn't need it. Rising on her toes, she bridged the remaining distance between us.

Her lush lips settled on mine, soft as a whisper. In that infinite moment, my world telescoped down to nothing but the woman I held in my arms. My hold tightened around her waist as I captured the flesh of her lower lip between both of mine. The feel of her fingers threading through my hair, the gentle scrape of her nails against my scalp, the warmth of her chest flush against my own was a distant echo, adding sparks to the fire rushing through me while our mouths grew more insistent.

I was lost in her as we kissed long and hard, just barely managing not to lose sight of our surroundings and restrain myself from letting things progress any further.

As it turned out, I didn't have to worry about that.

The fire crackling between us was brutally doused when the sound of the television inside the apartment was cut off by that of a woman.

"I see you," she sang, managing to lace every syllable with amusement.

We broke apart quickly, gaping at each other—all wide eyes, parted lips and heavy breaths.

Bella blinked once before stealing a glance at the door. Her brow creased into a scowl, an exasperated huff escaping her before she faced me again.

"Rosalie," she muttered and rolled her eyes.

I stifled a chuckle, reaching out to frame her face in my palms instead, ignoring her irksome roommate. My eyes fell shut as I lowered my mouth to hers and kissed her softly. I lingered at the corner of her mouth, planting a couple of pecks there until I felt it pull up into a smile.

 _Nothing_ could bring me down in that moment, and when Bella wrapped her arms back around my neck, pulling me down for a few pecks of her own, I knew she felt the same way.

* * *

 **A/N: Teasers, photographs, and other details about my stories can be found in my FB group:** **Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed** **. The link is available on my profile here.**

* * *

 **FIC REC – Little Things by That's-so-Alex –** Sometimes, it's the little things that someone really doesn't like about themselves, that make you love them all the more.


	12. Chapter 12: Function

**A/N: I'm incredibly grateful for your supportive comments last week. I wasn't in the best frame of mind, and my insecurities took center stage in my thoughts for a number of reasons. Thank you for helping me assuage them. There were two anon reviewers to whom I couldn't respond, but I desperately wanted to because they left me such uplifting words. Let me thank you here from the bottom of my heart.**

 **I usually don't address guest reviewers who feel the need to be rude. This time, there was one that sorely tempted me to justify myself, but if I did, I'd just be throwing spotlight on their** ** _whining_** **. Ain't nobody got time for that.**

 **Let's move on.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 12: FUNCTION**

The first memory of Alice lodged in my mind was from the day after my parents' demise. Carlisle and Esme had rushed through dozens of procedures I didn't even comprehend at the time to bring me to their home. At five, all I could figure out in the midst of the tragedy that'd turned my little world upside down was that I was now supposed to put everything I knew about my life behind and start afresh—new parents, new house, new kindergarten. In the jumbled mush of my brain, somehow that last part hurt more than anything else because all that time I'd spent making acquaintances at my old school, which I'd only begun attending a month ago, was now of no use to me. Carlisle and Esme lived just too far away for me to be able to keep going there.

As an adult, I could recognize that being upset about school was a defense mechanism I didn't know I needed, but somehow, my subconscious did. Suppressing the reality of what'd happened to my parents gave me the strength to function. Focusing on the troubles of my schooling gave me an opportunity to do just that.

So function I did, but still, I was a shell of my previous self, barely human when I stepped into the Cullen house for the first time as its permanent resident.

And that was when my eight-year old cousin had run across the living room and hugged me, lifting me up as far as her slender body would allow.

Of course I must've met her countless times prior to that moment. Yet, those memories had faded away like shadows in the night of the years passing by.

It was the sight of her petite frame scrambling toward me, her blue skirt billowing in the breeze and two small ponytails on either side of her head dancing wildly with each step, that was seared into my mind.

Maybe it was because of the way she'd held me so close then, whispering a stream of comforting words in my ears. Until then, I'd been reticent and withdrawn, making Esme frightful of committing a wrong move that'd push me away further. I had no doubt she'd wanted to hug me tight and never let go, but she'd respected my need for some distance.

It wasn't until I was engulfed in Alice's embrace that I realized how much I'd been starving for a shoulder to cry on, for someone to push past my boundaries and show me that I still had someone I could call my family.

And since that moment, my sister had been that and so much more for me.

With only three more years of life experience under her belt as compared to me, much of it had been new to Alice as well. She'd acted on impulse with me, stumbling through our interactions as blindly as I had. The one thing she had in spades was patience and faith. Through my good days and bad, she'd never given up, providing me with all the comfort, affection and friendship I needed until I was ready to accept the same from my aunt and uncle.

Bit by bit, she'd put me back together, never resenting me for joining her family, her generosity and her beautiful spirit shining through even then.

Which was why, when I stepped into the large room today and watched dozens of people excitedly mingling around in what seemed like organized chaos, I couldn't find it in myself to be surprised.

Alice would always have the world in her corner.

Her parents had raised her right, making her see her family's wealth as a gift to be used wisely—a means to be able to help those in need. She'd taken the words to heart throughout her life. After her graduation, Carlisle had handed her the sum he'd set aside for her to begin her business venture. Once _Trending_ was somewhat settled, Alice had taken it upon herself to help out some of her friends from college who didn't have the same luxury.

Every year, she'd host a fashion show showcasing the designers she knew and their noteworthy collections. The dresses displayed were never extravagant ones that would have no use in the real world. Instead, these were innovative pieces people could wear in their daily lives, and the likes of which could be bought at _Trending._ It earned the boutique goodwill and publicity, while giving new designers a platform that'd help them spread their wings.

I scanned the room, taking in the décor—done in a rich shade of grey smattered with some electric blue here and there. It was something only Alice would be able to pull off with class.

Before long, my eyes landed on familiar mahogany tresses and followed their trail down to the gorgeous face that never failed to knock the breath out of me.

My lips pulled up into a smile automatically at the sight of her. She must've felt my gaze, because at the same moment, her eyes swiveled to where I stood, and lit up. She excused herself from the person she'd been speaking to before making her way toward me.

"Hey." Her voice was a little breathless, but her face was flushed with excitement. She'd traded in her glasses for contacts today, giving me an unhindered view of her alluring eyes.

"Hi," I replied, leaning in to place a soft kiss on her lips.

She hummed when I pulled back before smiling up at me. "You got here early. The show doesn't start for another hour at least."

"I thought you said you wanted me here early," I reminded her, raising my eyebrows meaningfully.

Her brow creased for a second before her eyes went wide. She gasped, her hand flying to her mouth when she recalled her dictum to me and the reason behind it.

"I _forgot_!" she whispered into her fingers. "How could I forget? Oh my! Damn it, it completely slipped my mind."

I stepped closer and took hold of her shoulders. "Breathe, Bella. It's alright."

"Things have been _crazy_ around here! This is the first time I'm taking part in organizing the show, _and_ it's the first show since Alice revamped the store! It has to be perfect. I know how much it means to her, so I've been running around here and there all day, and I comple—"

"I know." I squeezed her shoulders in comfort. "I know, Bella, and you've done an amazing job here. Yes, it means a lot to Alice, but you know what? She trusts you enough to hand you half of the organizing reins. Believe me, that has never happened before. She has faith in you, as do I. The show will be great."

She drew in a couple of breaths and then nodded. "Yes, yes. You're right. It'll be great."

I smiled. "It will be."

"I guess it's a good thing I got lost in the work here," she huffed. "I've been fussing over what's going to happen today for days, and I don't think that anxiety would've let me be productive."

 _What's going to happen today_ referred to Bella meeting my aunt and my uncle.

In the two weeks since our first official date, I'd seen her as much as our schedules would allow and talked to her on the phone almost every day, even if it was just for a cheery hello or a quick good night.

As far as I was concerned, this woman was well on her way to booking a permanent corner of my heart and my life for herself. Introducing her to my family gave me no pause. Underneath all her nerves, I knew she was just as excited about what this meant—the next step for _us_. But ever since she'd realized that my aunt and uncle were Alice's parents, which meant that _of course_ they'd be attending the show tonight, she'd fretted herself into a tizzy over what they would think of her.

"Believe me, they're more excited about meeting you than you're nervous about meeting them," I told her, receiving a stink-eye in response. "I'm serious. You have no idea how much they've heard about you through Alice and me. They'll love you. No question about that."

"That just means they have all sorts of ideal expectations about me," she groaned, ghosting her hands down her sides. "Tell me honestly, Edward. Do I look okay?"

The honest answer was on the tip of my tongue, but I knew that wouldn't appease her. So I took a moment to rake my eyes across her form—like that was ever a hardship.

She'd put her hair up into some sort of an intricate knot I couldn't even begin to figure out, but I loved how it exposed the lovely arch of her neck. Her dress was a shade of blue-green I couldn't really name, but I adored how it flowed over her waist and hugged the gentle curves of her hips before ending at her knees. Her feet were clad in heels I couldn't imagine being conducive for walking, but they enhanced her toned legs in dangerously distracting ways.

I ended my exploration with her eyes, admiring their dark, entrancing depths and looking right into them as I spoke, willing her to believe me.

"You're absolutely perfect."

* * *

 **A/N: I wrote this while my exams were going on, hence it ended up being really short in terms of the content. I will be posting the next chapter today itself to make up for it.**

 **Teasers, photographs, and other details about my stories can be found in my FB group: _Fanfiction by_** _ **ForeverRobsessed**_ **. The link is available on my profile here.**

 **Hit that NEXT button now. x x**

* * *

 **FIC REC – Moonless Night (and Eternal Equinox) by Sunray16 –** These are basically New Moon and Eclipse from Edward's POV for those of us who wanted more, more, _more_ after Midnight Sun.


	13. Chapter 13: Approval

**A/N: This is the second one of the two chapters I'm posting today** **, so please make sure you've read Chapter 12 before you begin this one, folks. **

**Heartfelt thanks to Payton79 and Pamela. x x**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 13: APPROVAL**

She let out a breath, almost sagging into my embrace.

"Thank you. I know you probably think I'm acting all crazy, but . . . I just want them to like me." Her voice grew forlorn, so I brought my hand up to her chin and tipped her face up to meet my gaze.

"I have no doubt that they will, Bella," I reassured her again.

"I know how important they are to you. Everything you've told me about them makes them seem like such wonderful people."

"Well, they were there for me without any hesitation in the darkest time of my life. You're right, they're wonderful—as are you." I pulled her closer and planted a kiss on the tip of her nose.

She allowed her lips to curl up into a smile. Before she could say a word, my sister's voice pierced our little bubble of solitude.

"Bella!"

I looked up to find a frazzled Alice charging toward us with a clipboard in her hand. I stepped back an inch, but left my arm around Bella's waist as she turned around to face the petite hurricane headed our way.

"Thank God! There you are. Look at this!" Alice sighed anxiously, handing the clipboard to Bella. "They delivered the wrong package! How the hell did this happen? We both checked the boxes when they arrived! Yet, Irina's collection is missing its accessories."

"Give me a second." Bella scanned through the papers. "Oh, this one? It says Mike was responsible for delivering this batch."

"That new buffoon who can't tell a jeggings from trousers? Dear God, this is going to be a disaster," she groaned. "I'm going to have to call the agency for his cell number."

"No need. I have it in my phone."

"Are you serious?"

Bella grinned. "Yep. I saved all the delivery guys' numbers, just in case. I'll give Mike a call right away and get this sorted. Don't worry."

Alice released a huge breath and threw her arms around Bella's shoulders. "You're a lifesaver. Thank you!"

Bella chuckled. "That's my job, silly. Now go and make sure everything is going as per your plan backstage. I'll get in touch with Mike and handle whatever went wrong." She brought her fingers to her lips and blew me a kiss before striding away from us. I recognized the flash of determination in her eyes right before she turned away. As much as I loved to comfort her in my arms, there was nothing more beautiful than my girl in her element—confident and ready to make the world dance to her tunes.

"You know, I would've lost my shit if Bella weren't here today," Alice told me. "The show has never garnered so much interest before! It's _big_ this time, Edward. I can feel it in my bones. She really made it so much easier to deal with the pressure."

"She's amazing," I agreed with a sigh.

Alice cocked an eyebrow at me even as her lips twitched into a grin. "Look at you, you lovesick fool! Things are good with you guys, huh?"

I shrugged, not even bothering to deny the epithet. "We've been doing great so far. She's going to meet Carlisle and Esme today. She's a bit nervous."

"What for? With the glowing recommendations she has gotten from you and me, they love her already."

"That's exactly what I told her." I chuckled. "Actually, your crisis will help keep her mind off it until they get here. I just know she's going to charm them effortlessly once they meet, but until that moment comes, she can't help but fret about it."

"I can't believe you just expressed your satisfaction with something going wrong with my show."

I put my arm around her shoulders. "Ah, but it's going to be just fine. We've got our favorite superwoman working on it."

And I was right.

Bella returned within ten minutes, having spoken to Mike, and informed Alice that the missing package would be at the venue within twenty minutes. Alice tackled her into another hug. I met Bella's eyes over her shoulder and winked, making her smile. They quickly charted out a new sequence of events, giving Irina a latter spot that'd allow her time to get her models sorted. I left them to it and headed towards the seating area.

"Safe to come out now?"

I turned to meet my uncle's hazel eyes, a familiar hint of mischief and humor glinting in them. I smiled and shook his outstretched hand while he patted my back warmly with the other. Beside him, my Aunt Esme looked just as wound up as her daughter. She drew me into her arms for a quick hug before we moved to settle in our seats.

"When did you guys get here?"

"Oh, a few minutes ago," Esme told me. "The first thing we saw when we got in was Alice muttering under her breath and marching across the room toward you."

"And that's never a good sign," Carlisle added with an exaggerated shudder. "So we waited in the shadows until she seemed to calm down."

"Oh, Edward, that was Bella standing with you, wasn't it?" Esme's face lit up with a proud smile. She reached out to squeeze my hand. "She's a beautiful girl."

"She really is," I agreed. "And she's just as smart and organized and so damn good at her job. It only took her minutes to sort out the issue that has driven Alice into a tizzy."

Carlisle grinned. "Beauty with brains, huh? Sounds like you've got yourself a keeper. Good thing she didn't show you the door despite the fact that you got her fired!"

Esme threw him an exasperated glare, while I just rolled my eyes.

"I'm so happy that you found her, sweetheart. I can't wait to meet her. This is going to be a wonderful evening. I can feel it," Esme announced, the words so reminiscent of what Alice had said to me just minutes ago that they made me grin.

As it turned out, my aunt and my sister were both accurate in their assessments.

The show went off without a hitch. The audience excitedly cheered on each designer who displayed their collections. The bright, hopeful smiles on their faces as they soaked up the praise was something that would've melted the coldest of hearts. I felt immensely proud that the women who made it happen held such a special place in my life.

Alice took the stage right at the end to thank everyone in attendance. She made sure to acknowledge us in the audience. Beside me, Carlisle and Esme seemed overcome with emotion, almost bursting with pride and joy. She even made sure that Bella made an appearance up there—reluctant though it was—to bask in the final applause that rang out in the room.

Soon after that, it was time for the crowd to grab a glass of wine, munch on some snacks and mingle. Alice fulfilled her hostess duties with her usual charm. She took a few minutes to chat with a few guests and introduce the designers as and when required. Once that was done, she quickly made her way toward the corner where we were waiting for her. She made sure to seek Bella out on the way and pulled her along as well.

As soon as they were within hearing distance, Alice launched into conversation enthusiastically. The adrenaline in her system found its perfect outlet in her parents, so I tuned her out after a moment and focused on the beautiful woman beside her.

Bella held her frame a little rigidly, her twisting fingers betraying her hesitance, but the gentle upturn of her lips also hinted at her excitement. Her eyes flickered to mine when I held out my hand toward her. Stepping closer, she laid her palm in mine with a soft sigh. I leaned in to press my lips against her forehead.

"Congratulations," I whispered against her skin. "You did a fantastic job."

Her eyes sparkled when I pulled back. "Thank you, Edward."

Our little exchange, although quiet, had managed to attract my family's attention. Alice was beaming, Carlisle wore a warm smile, and Esme seemed to be wiping away moisture underneath her eyes.

I could practically feel Bella's tension mount next to me, so I twined our fingers together and pulled her to my side.

"Carlisle, Esme. I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Bella Swan."

The epithet flowed past my lips without second thought, and it was only when I heard Bella's breath hitch that I realized what I'd said. Before I could bother to worry about her reaction, she looked up at me and the shy upturn of her mouth told me I had her approval.

Carlisle reached out to shake her hand. "We're so pleased to finally meet you, Bella."

"Congratulations on such a successful show," Esme added before pulling Bella into a soft embrace. "You girls did a fabulous job of putting it together."

"Thank you. The ideas were all Alice. I just did my best to put it all into action just the way she wanted it."

"You did _so_ much more than that, and you know it," Alice chimed in, squeezing Bella's arm. "I've been working on these shows on my own for all these years, and you know what? It has _never_ been on such a large scale, and yet, this was the most seamless event out of all. It's your presence that made the difference. I never realized how much more efficient I could be with a partner like you!"

"Well, you did try to get help once," Carlisle offered with a smirk. "What was the name of that girl you hired? Angela?"

Esme made a clucking sound. "Yes, Angela. Poor girl. I can still remember her face when you made her leave in tears."

"Psshh!" Alice flicked her hair off her forehead. "She was useless. She made everything into a mess. If I'd known Bella was out there somewhere, I would've scoured the country to find her and hire her."

"I couldn't have asked for a better job, Alice, and right when I needed it the most. You're the best boss I've ever had," Bella added. Alice pursed her lips and blew her a kiss.

Carlisle clapped loudly. "Well, that's wonderful. Everyone's happy with what they've got. Except Angela, but, hey, I think we can still call this a win, eh? Now, if you don't mind, Alice, I'd love to get myself a glass of champagne and get to know this lovely lady who seems to have brought a world of good to both my children's lives." He held out his arm for Bella with a flourish. "Shall we, Miss Swan?"

Bella giggled and let go of me to place her hand at his elbow. "Of course, Mr. Cullen."

"No, no, my dear. That won't do at all. Call me Carlisle, and tell me about yourself. Edward told me you were brought up in Forks?" Their voices trailed off as they walked away from us.

"Well?" Esme looked at me pointedly. I laughed and offered her my arm, which she took with aplomb. Alice excused herself to go deal with her guests, while we followed Carlisle and Bella to the bar.

The evening passed in a blur of bubbly champagne, pleasant conversation, and carefree laughs. I watched the nerves melt away from Bella's face completely as Carlisle and Esme engaged her in questions about her life, interspersed with anecdotes from my childhood.

The moment seemed so poignant, yet effortless as the hours passed us by. Everyone I cherished was under one roof, content and excited as they got to know each other. My girl was tucked under my arm, her hair tickling the underside of my chin. My aunt was laughing heartily as Bella described some of the most ridiculous things she'd had to do in her previous jobs. My uncle looked on, listening to them intently while enjoying his champagne, the smile never leaving his face throughout the evening. When he noticed my gaze on him, he tipped his glass and nodded. I needed no words to recognize his whole-hearted approval.

I drained the rest of my drink and then tightened my grasp on Bella's waist. She smiled up at me—her face relaxed, flushed with happiness—the most stunning vision I'd ever seen. She leaned in, resting the side of her head against my chest, and all was right in my world.

It was a good thing I was holding on to her because with every breath, every beat, every moment spent in her presence, I could feel myself falling pretty damn hard . . . completely . . . irrevocably.

* * *

 **A/N: *sighs***

 **Teasers, photographs, and other details about my stories can be found in my FB group:** **Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed** **. The link is available on my profile here.  
**

Indulge me for a moment here. I'm thrilled to announce that I'm one of the judges for the **Naughty or Nice Twilight Fanfiction Contest** being held to celebrate the spirit of **Christmas. Submissions are open** , so authors, bring us your exciting words! Readers, hop over to the contest page and make sure you follow it to read the entries as they come.

Link: www dot fanfiction dot net/u /9688446 /Naughty-or-Nice-Contest

You can also find the clickable link in my **_Favorite Authors_** on my profile.

 **See you next time!**

* * *

 **FIC REC – Honeymoon Suite by TwiliteAddict -** We all wailed a collective 'ugh' at the fade to black scenes during Edward and Bella's honeymoon. This fic is a captivating look at the romance, emotions & imagery of Bella & Edward's honeymoon, the struggles of the pregnancy & birth, and Edward's joy when he bonds with Nessie while Bella goes through the change. Mostly EPOV. A canon story that fills in all the blanks!


	14. Chapter 14: Rituals

**A/N: I** _ **love**_ **that you guys love these two. :) It warms my heart.**

 **Just so you know, we're not too far from the end now. I've finished writing the entire story I wanted to tell by Chapter 17, so that'll be the last one.**

 **Loads of thanks to Payton79 and Pamela.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 14: RITUALS**

I fell into the chair with a huge sigh. With my legs stretched out before me, I leaned back and scrubbed my hands over my face. My eyes fell shut and remained shut, every muscle protesting even the thought of opening them again.

"You've been lucky so far. Usually, we're pulling all-nighters like this thrice a week," Tyler announced, startling me.

You could damn well bet my eyes went as wide as they could go at that. I threw him a look of utter horror.

He just snickered. "Fine, I'm kidding. Not every week. Every other week . . . maybe."

I groaned and resumed my position. "Could you give me a break here, Tyler? How long is your version of _Believe it or Not_ for the rookie going to go on?"

"As long as it's fun, little one."

"Fine. I can take it, but not an hour after spending the entire night chasing a scumbag of the lowest order across the state. Put your inner clown on a timeout until I've regained some sense, please."

I heard him heave a sigh before the squeak of his chair indicated he'd planted himself on it. "Yeah, go on and ruin all my fun. And here I was about to offer you an hour or two to freshen yourself up."

I managed to squint at him through one eye. "What?"

He shrugged. "What? My kid's play doesn't start until noon. I can afford to give up a bit of my day off to make sure you don't lose your pretty neurons. They don't grow back, you know."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, didn't you ever pick up a science textbook?"

"Tyler, don't shit with me. I'm firing on my last piston right now, and it's about to run out any second."

He rolled his eyes. "Millennials. So dramatic." He crossed his legs and settled in. "Go on and get yourself some coffee. And take a shower before a skunk decides to adopt you. I'll hold the fort until you get back."

I was on my feet before he was finished talking.

"Thank you. I'll be back as soon as possible." I clapped him on the shoulder on my way out, and he waved me away with a grin.

I reached my apartment in record time, leaving behind a trail of clothes in my wake as I marched on right into the shower. A deep sigh left my lips as soon as the warm water was cascading down my body. My skin let out a protesting burn at the temperature, but my sore muscles sent a prayer of thanks for the same. For a long moment, I just stood there and let myself relax, bit by bit. The adrenaline of the chase we'd undertaken was finally draining away. I grabbed the soap and lathered myself up before I could lose the energy to move.

My mind, though, was free to wander as I went through my routine. It didn't take long for my thoughts to drift to Bella, as had become the norm since the first time I'd seen my beautiful girl.

I'd managed to whisk her away on a special date to her favorite restaurant the weekend after the fashion show. I'd planned it as a surprise, and Bella protested a little when she realized I'd gone all out.

"You didn't need to do this, Edward," she'd whispered, eyeing the blueberry cheesecake the waiter brought over at the end.

"The show was a huge success that went on without a hitch. That's an achievement to be celebrated," I'd replied, handing her a knife. "I'm just so proud of you, Bella. And don't forget that my offer still stands. I promise I'll help you burn off every last one of the calories, if that makes you happy." I'd thrown in a wink, which had made her blush, but she'd taken the knife and cut us both a piece with a smile.

And once she'd had a taste, the moan that resonated from deep within her throat told me there would be no more protests on the matter.

A week had passed since that evening, and it'd been a tough one. With the inquiries piling up at _Trending_ after the fashion show, Bella and Alice had been working longer hours. The work at the boutique was growing leaps and bounds, and they were struggling to catch up on all ends. In fact, after a couple of instances of Alice falling asleep at the computer, she'd actively begun conducting interviews to hire more employees.

Things had been hectic on my end as well. Our unit had caught a high-profile case involving the Senator's daughter. We'd been working on it all week, burning the midnight oil. Our search for the murderer had ended with an interstate car chase that took us several hours of last night.

As a result, my time with Bella had been decimated severely. Now that the criminal had been caught, every part of me longed to be with her, but I was required to complete the documentation at the precinct. With Tyler's son's performance scheduled at noon, I couldn't begrudge him a day off. I'd just have to bide my time until the evening and hope that no one else killed anyone, so that I could get my much-needed fix of Bella.

Just the thought of her sent warm desire pulsing through my veins, my body wasting no time in reacting to it. My hand reached down of its own accord, but I worked to restrain the urge to take matters further. There just wasn't enough time. I sighed and grabbed the shower knob instead, turning it the other way. After dousing my thoughts and _myself_ in cold water until they'd both calmed down, I stepped out of the shower.

I got dressed quickly and then walked down the street to _The Busy Bean_ to grab my caffeine fix to go. The sight of the door brought back memories from the day when I'd run into Bella unexpectedly. I recalled the fury on her face and chuckled, marveling at how far we'd come in the past two months.

I stepped inside, making my way toward the long line of people waiting for their turn to order. I sighed, a little frustrated with the wait, even though it was to be expected. My usual schedule afforded me the luxury of walking out of here before the rush hour, but I was running two hours behind today.

Fortunately, the line seemed to be moving along at a steady pace. I pulled out my phone and texted Tyler to let him know I'd be there within the next hour. I checked my messages, finding several from aunt Esme. I opened them, smiling at the photographs she'd sent. Her best friend was celebrating her twenty-fifth wedding anniversary by renewing her vows with her husband at a beach in Miami. Esme and Carlisle were in the wedding party, and judging from the pictures, they seemed to be having the time of their life. I shot Esme a quick reply before placing my phone back in my pocket.

Resurfacing back to the real world, I noticed that the line had made no progress for over a minute now. I craned my neck to see who was at the counter. I could only see the top of a brunette head swaying from side to side as the indecisive woman took her time in placing her order.

I felt a pang of irritation, but then thought of my beautiful girl who would probably be the same way, picky as she was about her beverages. My petulance melted away. I pulled out my phone once again, resigned to wait as long as it took.

Soon enough, the lady was done. I vaguely registered her movements from the corner of my eye as she grabbed her mug before stepping aside. The line advanced, and I followed along.

Seconds later, the brunette who'd held up the line made her way toward the door. I was looking straight ahead, so, at first, she was merely a blip in my peripheral vision.

But as she drew closer, the shade of the long tresses obscuring her face from my view was familiar.

 _Far too familiar._

Before I could make a move, another patron walked into the café. The open door brought in a cool breeze, and the mahogany locks that'd caught my attention parted to reveal the beautiful face of my girlfriend.

Blissfully unaware of my presence, she grabbed the door before it had a chance to shut and ambled out on to the street, completely at ease, while my mind was spinning in circles.

It took me a couple of seconds more to command my feet to move.

I nearly ran out the door, swinging my head from side to side to look for her. Fortunately, she was just a few paces away, swiping over the screen of her phone with one hand, while the other held the coffee mug to her lips.

"Bella!" I called out. I made sure to keep my voice just loud enough for her to hear, but not so much that it'd startle her.

A fair lot of good it did.

She jumped anyway, dropping her phone on the ground. I walked over to her and picked it up.

"Hi." The word came out far more tentative than I would've liked, so much so that it was almost a question.

Regardless, it thawed Bella out of her daze. She plucked the phone from my hand. Her cheeks flushed with color, and given the way she was gaping at me, I highly doubted the nip in the air had anything to do with it.

"What are you doing here?" I asked after a moment of silence, which she seemed unwilling to fill. I frowned, thoroughly unsettled with the turn of events. "Wait. Is it . . . Thursday?"

She huffed out a breath. "No, Edward. It's Tuesday."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course!"

"Then, again . . . what the hell are you doing here?"

"Getting coffee."

"You and I both know it's not that simple. You're . . . _indulging_ ," I said, using the word of her choice. "And it's not a Thursday, so something else brought this on." She bit her lip and looked away with a sigh. "I hate to badger you, Bella, but I get the feeling that you're hiding something. Please tell me everything's okay with you."

"I'm okay, I promise. You don't need to worry about that." She raked a hand through her hair and muttered something else under her breath.

I leaned closer. "I'm sorry?"

Another sigh followed.

"It's my birthday today, Edward," she admitted quietly. "That's why I'm breaking the rules."

"Wait, what?" I shook my head to clear my muddled thoughts. "It's your birthday? And you didn't tell me?"

That earned me a cocked eyebrow. "We've barely seen each other this week."

"True, but this is important information. Like, top priority," I spluttered. "I wish you'd told me, Bella. I would've loved to—"

"I know. I know you would've enjoyed making a big deal out of it, but I just wasn't feeling up to it. This is the first time I'm so far away from my family that I can't even see them for my birthday. Our celebrations were always small, quiet affairs. I like it that way, but this time, I had no one to celebrate with. Rose is working three jobs, Alice . . . Well, I knew she'd blow the whole thing out of proportion if she knew."

It was probably highly immature on my part, but I couldn't deny the sting of hurt coursing through me.

"And what about me?" I asked her, trying to mask my feelings. When she let out _another_ sigh, I figured I hadn't done a thorough job.

"Edward, if it were just you and me, that would be perfect. But I thought you weren't going to be able to get away from the precinct until your case was sorted. I didn't want to tell you and then have you feel guilty about not being able to do anything special for me."

I crossed my arms over my chest. "Well, the case is over. I have to get back to the precinct because Tyler has the day off today. His son has a performance scheduled at school. So enjoy all the alone-time you want in the day because we're going somewhere in the evening."

She rolled her eyes. "Fine. Be that way. But keep in mind that I don't want to do anything that requires more than this much energy." She held up her hand, her thumb and index finger a mere inch apart. "We've both had a busy week, and all I want is to spend some time with you."

I nodded. "Understood. Now tell me about your birthday rituals."

"Huh?"

"You said your family celebrations were simple and quiet. Tell me what you did with your mom and dad," I requested.

Bella smiled fondly. "Well, my mom has always been a very good piano player, so she would play some of our favorite songs while Dad and I would listen and sing along. Okay, _I_ sang along. Dad would just sit there with his eyes closed and a smile on his face. I've never seen him look more peaceful and just relaxed."

An idea was already taking root in my mind as I asked her, "What else?"

"Hmm . . . We'd make our favorite desserts together. Chocolate chip cookies for me, cupcakes for Mom, and pecan pie for Dad. We'd binge on that and then pop in a movie or something. Like I said . . . low-key."

"Low-key is perfect." I leaned in quickly for a quick kiss, eliciting a gasp from her. Now armed with a plan, I could feel the excitement for this evening mount within me. "I'll pick you up at seven."

She glared at me through suspicious eyes, but I simply grinned and left it at that.

 _I would respect her wishes, but I'd do my damn best to give my girl a memorable birthday to cherish._

* * *

 **A/N: Do I sound crazy if I admit that I want one of him for myself?**

 **Well, what do you think? Now that I've finished writing it, should we celebrate Bella's birthday with an early update? Say . . . Tuesday?**

Teasers, photographs, and other details about my stories can be found in my Facebook group: **Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed**. The link is available on my profile here.

 **See you next time!**

* * *

 **FIC REC – More Than Words by SydneyAlice –** A special, uncomplicated friendship is formed through email. What happens when their simple daily chats become more than just words on a computer screen?


	15. Chapter 15: Sanctuary

**A/N: You know what I thought was incredibly cute? That quite a few of you were so sure Edward would go all out despite his lady's wishes, LOL!**

 **Let's see if he proves you right or wrong.**

 **Big thanks to Payton79 and Pamela for their time.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 15: SANCTUARY**

"What are we doing here?" Bella whispered as I unlocked the front door.

I turned to her, my eyebrows raised in amusement while she scanned our surroundings like a thief about to break and enter.

"Why are you so worried? You do realize this is my home, right?"

"Is that so?" She crossed her arms over her chest before glaring at me. "And how long has it been since you've lived here last?"

I rolled my eyes. "Fine. It belongs to Carlisle and Esme, if you want to get technical. But I've always had a key, and Esme makes sure to let me know I'm welcome here even in their absence." I pushed the door open and motioned for her to walk in. "After you, my lady."

She tried her best to sigh, but I saw her lips quirk up in the smallest, cutest smile before I followed her inside.

"Wow," she gasped as soon as I'd turned the lights on. "This is so beautiful, Edward."

I looked around the living room decorated in shades of deep blue and white. There were plush couches and little pillows, rich curtains and carved wooden shelves. Every time I looked at the room, I couldn't help smiling at the little touches here and there that screamed of Esme's taste.

"It's Esme's pride and joy," I told her. "She believes the living room is the first impression you get of the house, and first impression is the last impression. She redoes the décor in different shades once every few years. It's almost therapeutic for her after dealing with difficult clients at her agency who just can't decide what the hell they want their home to look like."

Bella chuckled. "I'm glad it makes her feel better. And I can see her reasoning. I'm excited to look at the rest of the house."

"That will have to wait until later. First, I have to show you why exactly we're here."

Her eyes grew wide, and she rubbed her palms together like a maniacal villain. "Ooh! That's even better."

I laughed as she made a show of bouncing on the balls of her toes. "C'mon, you goof." I took her hand and led her toward the stairs.

I pointed at the master bedroom and Alice's bedroom on the second floor, but didn't stop there. Bella smiled and traced her fingers along the photographs that adorned the walls as we made our way toward the third floor.

"This was my childhood sanctuary," I told her while we walked down the hall. "Carlisle and Esme had initially planned to make Alice switch into the room here so that I could stay on the same floor as them—you know, in case I needed some help. Alice was happy to do so, but I chose to begin my new life up here. As much as I loved them, I needed a few hours alone every day to come to grips with everything, especially in the first few years."

Bella let go of my hand and hugged my arm instead. "I can imagine that. I'm sure you were a brave little boy." Her face was solemn as she held my gaze, and I leaned down to press my lips to her forehead.

Engrossed as we'd been in our conversation, I knew she hadn't yet noticed what lay ahead of us. I took a step back and positioned myself behind her, her back pressed against my chest. I pointed toward the end of the hallway.

" _This_ is why I brought you here."

"Oh my God!" Her hands flew to her mouth, her eyes wide and frozen as she stared at the baby grand piano. "That's just . . . Wow!"

I took her hand and tugged her over to the bench. Her fingers ghosted over the shiny black surface, almost touching, but not quite, while she looked on in awe. I sat down, stretching my fingers. Bella finally turned her attention away from the instrument to settle in next to me.

Her face broke out into a grin as she realized my intention. "You can play?"

"Yes, ma'am. My dad loved serenading my mom with his guitar. Music was an important part of their lives, and they wanted to pass it on to me. I started taking lessons on my fourth birthday. Even after they were gone, I made sure to stick with it and fulfill their dream."

Bella bit her lip as her smile grew tremulous. Her eyes glistened through a veil of moisture.

"That's beautiful, Edward. Oh, how did this never come up before? Have I just been talking about myself the whole time?"

I laughed, nudging her shoulder with mine. "Of course not. It's just that I've been slacking. I haven't really played since I moved out of this house. Well, except a few times on Christmas when Esme would insist. I really don't have a suitable place to put this piano in my apartment, so until I've worked enough to get a bigger one, this will remain right here."

Bella's brow furrowed. "Don't you miss it?"

"When I have spare time, I do. But first there was college to get through, and now with the job, I'm usually too tired by the end of the day. Plus, there's always one mystery or another to solve that keeps my mind occupied. I'll admit, though—" I added, "—sitting here with you right now feels pretty amazing . . . _comforting_. I guess I _have_ missed the piano. I just didn't realize it."

She said nothing, but kissed my cheek and then laid her head against my shoulder. I cracked my knuckles. "Alright, Miss Swan. Tell me exactly what songs your mom would play on your birthday, and I'll see what I can do here."

It took me a couple of minutes and a few tries to get into the rhythm of playing, but once that was out of the way, my fingers glided smoothly over the keys. The music shifted from soft to cheerful, from soulful melodies to quicker tempos as Bella recalled one song after another. I could tell from the emotions playing across her face that each meant something to her family. She sang a few from start to finish, humming along with the rest.

The absolute contentment on her face made me feel like my heart would leap right out of my chest.

Once she'd had her fill, I suggested we tackle another one of the Swan family birthday traditions. Bella was surprised, but eagerly followed me downstairs. The kitchen, once again, earned her awe, and I made a mental note to tell Esme about her reactions. It would make my aunt swell with pride.

It took me several minutes to rifle through the shelves, but eventually, I managed to find all the ingredients for chocolate chip cookies.

 _Of course Esme's pantry would have baking goods on hand._

I emerged from the pantry with my hands stuffed. Bella was blubbering in surprise as she helped me with the stuff.

"Esme," was all I offered in explanation.

After all that she'd seen this evening, Bella nodded in easy understanding.

It quickly became apparent that neither of us possessed much talent in the culinary department. After a pointless discussion on how to begin, we ended up at Google's doorstep.

Laughter interspersed with groans as we set about the task. We made a mess that would probably make Esme faint on sight, but promised to clean it up once we'd enjoyed the fruits . . . uh, cookies of our labor.

After all the effort, what came out of the oven was perfect . . . perfect for one of those _Expectation vs Reality_ memes.

Bella and I looked down at the misshapen, miserable excuse for cookies, and then turned to each other. Our eyes met, locked, and then neither of us could hold back our chuckles. I couldn't begin to fathom how we managed to undercook some and overcook others. There were two that seemed perfectly edible, so we each grabbed one and hoped for the best.

The first bite made me realize just how deceptive looks could be. I chewed it with resolve, ready to chuck the rest into the bin.

Just then, Bella let out the softest of sighs. I glanced up from my dishonest dessert to find that she'd closed her eyes. Her mouth moved slowly as she savored her piece, her experience obviously having turned out much better than mine.

I swallowed down the baleful bolus in my mouth, well aware that the burnt aftertaste was sure to remain in my mouth for hours.

But the way my girl's lips were curling into a smile, another blissful sigh leaving her body as she leaned into my side, made it all completely worth it.

* * *

 **A/N: Yeah, I'm going to have to get myself a cookie now. I hadn't realized until this exact moment how much of this story revolves around food. I guess that's supposed to say something about me, huh? *shrugs***

Teasers, photographs, and other details about my stories can be found in my Facebook group: **Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed.** The link is available on my profile here.

 **See you next time!**

* * *

 **FIC REC – Ready by justxxwicked –** Bella, a flight attendant, spends her flight to Italy thinking about her best friend's older brother.


	16. Chapter 16: Electricity

**A/N: Massive thanks to Payton79 and Pamela for helping me with this chapter—even more so than usual. They boosted my confidence and straightened out a few potential issues so that I could give you the best version of the events below.**

 **I really hope you like it, because I can't deny that I'm still a wee bit nervous about this.**

 **I'm very happy to announce that _Fired_ made it into the top five fics in the ADF Fic Dive poll for Sept/Oct. My sincere thanks to Tarbecca for organising it and to you, my lovely readers for your votes.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 16: ELECTRICITY**

After cleaning up the mess created in wake of the cookie disaster, we used our culinary expertise to make some sandwiches. I grabbed a bag of chips to munch on and then we gravitated back to the piano.

Once we'd eaten, Bella insisted on hearing me play some more, and I gladly obliged. She laid her head against my shoulder once again. Her body swayed gently in tune with the music my fingers created. I leaned in to press my face into her hair, breathing in the sweet scent before dropping a kiss there.

Warm and content with my girl by my side, there couldn't have been a better way to reacquaint myself with my music. In my mind's eye, I could almost picture this becoming a ritual for the two of us. It would be the best way to relax after a long day at work. The idea made me more determined than ever to work hard so that I could afford a place that would do justice to this beautiful instrument.

After a couple of songs, I turned to Bella, wondering if she would be willing to show me a bit of her musical skill. She blushed and stammered through an admission of knowing only a couple of songs, but finally, gave in to my pleas and agreed to play.

She played one handed without chords, but still, her slow, sweet rendition of _Ode to Joy_ made me grin in delight. It had probably less to do with the notes and more with the look of intense concentration on her face as she played. Her eyes never moved from her fingers, her forehead furrowed into a V between her eyebrows, and her head nodding along with the tune.

"That was great," I told her honestly when she was finished.

It made her laugh. "Yeah, right."

"I'm serious. You looked so beautiful playing it, and you didn't fumble even once."

"Well, thanks." She nudged my shoulder with hers. A smile danced on her lips, and I knew she was pleased. "Mom _really_ wanted me to learn at least a few songs. She must've tried a dozen techniques to make it interesting for me, but whenever she'd pull out the sheet music . . . yeah, I'd be running far away. I'd much rather have my nose buried in a book than try to make sense of those."

"How long did her persistence last?"

Bella squinted and hummed. "Maybe about a year? She gave up after that because trying to teach my stubborn ass was sucking all the pleasure out of music for her!" She let out a giggle. "I still remember that last session she did with me. She literally threw her hands up in the air before shouting that she was _done_. She gave me a little pat on my butt and let me go back to my room to do whatever I wished. The next day onwards, she played by herself, and I listened. The balance was restored in the Swan household. Dad never said anything, but I'm sure he was relieved to put that battle behind us."

"That sounds just like Esme's experience with Alice. For all her creativity in design and cooking, Esme . . . well, there's no way to put it lightly. She has literally no aptitude for music. She was keen on Alice learning something, _anything_ related to music, but as it turned out, Alice was even worse. The first time I requested Carlisle and Esme if they could let me continue my lessons in my parents' memory, Esme had tears in her eyes. She hugged me so tight, and then within an hour, she had a whole list of potential instructors I could meet to choose the one best suited for me."

Bella laughed before letting her fingers drift along the keys again. This time, she started a rendition of Chopin, coursing along smoothly for a few notes, but then she faltered. Pursing her lips, she tried again from the beginning, but couldn't get past that point. She let out a huff and then turned to me. I smiled and took her hand in mine, pressing her fingers one by one on the right keys. It wasn't long before she got the hang of it, smiling as she finished the rhythm. We played it once again—Bella using just one hand, while I supported her with the appropriate chords on the other end.

Once we finished, she rose to her feet and moved to stand behind me. She leaned down and wrapped her arms around my neck.

"Happy birthday, beautiful," I whispered, turning around to place a kiss at the corner of her mouth.

"Thank you, Edward. This was . . . It was everything I wanted this day to be."

I brought my hand up to her face, my thumb caressing the apple of her cheek. "I'm glad to hear that. So tell me, have we covered all your birthday traditions, or is there something else on the agenda?"

Bella giggled and pressed her lips to my temple. "I think you've got them all. Oh, wait! I forgot about one."

"Which one?"

"Well, my dad used to get me two new cans of pepper spray every year. Do you think you're up to fulfilling that task, Detective Cullen? I'm sure you put the same amount of importance in my safety, don't you?" she teased.

Her laughter dissolved into a gasp when I swiveled around in one swift movement and pulled her down on to my lap. Dark locks fell over flushed cheeks, and I tucked them behind her ears.

"Sorry, beautiful. Can't really do that, since I'm planning on doing this." I brought her face to mine, our lips colliding in a kiss. My fingers reached up to tangle in her hair, while she sighed into my mouth. Her hands left a searing trail even through my clothes as they clawed at my back and my shoulders.

Breathless, but unwilling to stop, I tightened my hold on her, drawing her bottom lip between both of mine, nipping and suckling at it. She seemed to feel the same way and threw her leg over my thigh to straddle my hips.

When the need for air became too pronounced to ignore, we broke apart, panting. Our foreheads rested against each other, eyes closed as our heavy breaths mingled between us. We sat there for a moment, until Bella shifted in my lap, pressing her soft flesh against my hardening length. My face buried in her neck, I moaned at the sensation. It prompted her to move again, this time much more deliberately, while her fingers gently scratched a path through my scalp.

I pulled back to meet her eyes. No words were exchanged—the air around us stifling with silent electricity as I shifted my arms under her knees. I stood with her cradled against my chest and began to walk toward my bedroom. She pressed her face into my neck, prodding me along with caressing fingers and soft lips wandering along my jaw.

Once inside, she spent a minute looking around. I tried to look at the room through her eyes—the grey walls and matching bedding, the furniture in white wood, and the posters and jerseys. I wondered what she thought of it, and at the same time, sent a silent thanks to my aunt for keeping the place much cleaner than it'd ever been under my reign.

I set Bella back on her feet, letting my hand drift along her waist as she walked around slowly. She ghosted her fingers over the walls, pictures, and the spines of the books housed in shelf in one corner. Before my anxious heart could jump right out of my chest, she turned back to me and smiled in approval. Her arms wound around my neck as she pulled my mouth down to hers. I groaned when her tongue softly tasted mine, reaching out to cage her within the circle of my arms. Her teeth grazed the flesh of my lips, sending a wave of unbridled desire pulsing through my body, and my hold on her waist tightened till her feet were lifted off the floor.

I walked us a couple of steps backwards until the back of my legs hit the bed. I laid down, bringing her along. She settled herself comfortably over me, her legs resting on either side of my waist. She took her glasses off and placed them on the nightstand before leaning in. Her hair was the softest silk, tumbling around us while our lips moved hungrily against each other.

Her fingers fumbled over my shirt, unbuttoning it a bit too slowly for my liking. I bided my time and let my hands wander over her back. I trailed them down her waist until they slipped under the hem of her T-shirt, then drifted upward, bringing it along. She made quick work of the clasp of her bra before tossing it aside with a careless flick of her wrist. Once it was out of the way, my eyes followed the path of my fingers as they ran down her body—caressing her taut nipples one by one, eliciting a husky moan before drifting down the gentle curve of her hips.

We separated for a bit to get rid of the rest of our clothing. When she returned, draping herself over my form, every inch of her warm skin lined up gloriously against mine. My hands and lips wasted no time in devouring it wherever they could reach. I raised my back off the bed to capture a rosy nipple into my mouth. Bella whimpered and tugged at my hair, leaving behind a sting that made me ache for more.

My lips played across her chest, drawing her soft flesh into my mouth. The breathy groans that left her throat spurred me on. I nipped at the skin stretching over her collarbones before completing the circuit back to her lips. She kissed me softly for a long moment before she began to slide lower.

Her back arched as she angled her body until we were aligned. My eyes rolled back, my breaths growing heavier as her slick warmth brushed over me. The fact that there needn't be any barriers between us served to heighten my anticipation of being inside her, and I couldn't have been happier that we'd already gotten _that_ conversation out of the way. She held me steady with one hand and then slowly lowered herself down, inch by inch until I was sheathed inside her. Her fingers squeezed hard, nails digging into my shoulders as we began to move together. My hands caressed her skin, never losing contact, while she ground her body into mine. She threw her head back once we settled into a steady rhythm. A deep, low moan resonated deep within her chest, echoing my own.

The moment her legs began to tremble, I knew she was close. My fingers slid down to where we were joined, stroking, rubbing, pushing her closer to the edge. Her grip on me tightened almost painfully, as though she were anchoring herself to the here and now, while her body tensed and rocked to a frenzy. As soon as she fell off the edge, clamping around me, my vision went white behind my closed lids, and I lost the hold on my tenuous control. With my arms around her trembling form, I followed her into that sweet release.

A moment later, she fell onto my chest with a sigh. I enclosed her in my arms as we gasped to catch our breaths. Leaning in, I buried my face in the sweet scent of her hair and waited for my pounding heart to slow down.

I ran my fingers through her hair where they were splayed over my torso. A soft, damp lock clung to my skin, so I coiled it around my finger before slipping it behind her ear.

Bella let out a quiet hum before pressing her lips to my sternum. She then proceeded to place her chin over the same spot and gave me a lazy smile.

I grinned back, tucking a few more tresses out of the way to get an unhindered view of the beautiful pink hue in her cheeks.

"Good birthday?" I asked.

Her smile widened. She pushed her elbows against the mattress to slither closer until her lips were inches from mine.

"The best."

* * *

 **A/N: Okay. Yeah.**

 **As I'd stated earlier, Chapter 17 will be the last regular chapter of** ** _Fired_** **. I sat down to write it a little while ago, and it ended up being twice as long as the other chapters of this story. I'm excited to share it with you, but give me a week to edit it, yeah? I haven't been able to find the time to get to that as yet.**

 **I'll see you next Friday. :)**

Teasers, photographs, and other details about my stories can be found in my Facebook group: **Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed.** The link is available on my profile here.

 **See you next time!**

* * *

 **FIC REC – Come As You Are by tiffanyanne3 –** "It's just a piece of plain notebook paper, college ruled, folded into a neat square, but it's so much more than that. You're right. I was oblivious to your existence. But then you sent me this letter." It's 1996 in Seattle, and Edward cares about blending in, not fitting in. Until Bella takes the time to really see him.


	17. Chapter 17: Someday

**A/N: I usually say this at the end, but this time, I'll tackle it first: I found a lovely dress for Bella in this chapter. I did my best to describe it through Edward's eyes, but if you want the visual to go with the chapter, please hop over to my Facebook group,** _Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed_ **, where you'll find the photograph. The link is available on my profile here.**

 **Huge thanks to Payton79 and Pamela for holding my hand throughout this journey.**

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 **CHAPTER 17: SOMEDAY**

I studied myself in the mirror before looking down at the tie in my hand. I really didn't relish the idea of putting it on, given that the evening was likely to be uncomfortable and stuffy anyway. It was going to be hard enough to keep up a calm façade while interacting with bureaucrats who knew nothing about working in the field, but never failed to impart wisdom about how it should be done. I leaned down to open a drawer and chucked the tie back inside it. I grabbed my watch from the nightstand, strapping it into place before glancing at the dial.

"Bella, we need to leave in ten minutes if we're goin—" The door to the washroom opened with a click, cutting me off. I turned around, and the rest of the words died on my tongue at the sight before me.

Now I knew why it'd taken Bella hours of effort—with Alice's consultation, of course—to find the perfect dress for this evening.

And, damn it if she wasn't the very definition of _perfection_.

She was standing at the threshold, leaning against it with her hands clasped behind her back. For a moment, I could do nothing but stare . . . no, _devour_ her with my eyes, breathing in the vision that she was, while thanking whatever higher power had played a role in bringing her into my life. She let me take my time, posing for me with the most breathtaking smile on her face. Her gown was strapless, showing off her delicate shoulders and the slope of her collarbones. The black top made her skin seem almost luminescent. I yearned to feel its softness under my lips and mentally chided myself for not having planned our evening better to give me time to follow through on that wish. A thin belt clinched the fabric at her waist. Below that, it blended into a multitude of colors before flowing down to her feet. She'd forsaken her glasses for tonight, slipping in her lenses instead, while her hair fell straight and silky over her shoulders.

"Wow" was all I could say.

Her smile grew until it turned smug, even as her cheeks suffused coyly with color—it was a look no one but my girl could pull off with such effortless perfection.

She grasped the fabric of her skirt, lifting it slightly and then carefully made her way across the room to me. "You were saying?"

I draped my arm around her waist to pull her closer. "That we should skip the event entirely, and just stay right here where I can stare at you all night long."

"Staring at me?" she questioned, smoothening her hands down the lapels of my jacket. "Is that what's on your agenda?"

I leaned in to skim my nose along the column of her neck and hummed against her skin. "Among other things. We could start with that and see where it goes."

"And what about your boss' retirement? You'll be missed at the party."

"He's my boss' boss' boss. And it's not like I have to wave the flag for him to ride off into the sunset. He'll survive without me," I murmured, trailing my fingers up her back until they encountered her bare shoulders.

Bella giggled before pushing me away. "That's enough, Mr. Masen. I couldn't be more _thrilled_ with your reaction, but I didn't get myself plucked and primped to waste the evening away in this apartment."

With a hand clutching my chest, I frowned at her. "Waste? Baby, you wound me! I'll make it worth your time, you'll see." My waggling eyebrows received nothing more than an eye-roll in response, so I sighed and gave up. "Fine. Have your way. Let's go dine with the suits."

I held out my arm for her. She accepted it, but not before ruffling a hand through my hair. "You're ridiculous sometimes, you know that? It's a good thing you're cute."

I acknowledged that with a shrug, and then we were ready to go.

On the drive over, Bella fiddled with the radio, while I cursed my way through the heavy traffic. When we stopped at the intersection, I turned to face her.

"How did it go with Rose today?"

Bella's eyes lit up. "Oh, I can't believe I forgot to tell you! She was so happy when she came back from the office, she literally _skipped_ into the apartment. She got the promotion, Edward."

"That's wonderful news."

"It really is. Now she can afford to quit the job at the diner. She was stretching herself thin with the shifts she was working. It'll be really great for her to have that time to herself now. I'm sure it'll make her even more productive at everything else she does."

I smiled and squeezed her hand. "That calls for a celebration then. My treat. Maybe next weekend? Rose can pick the place."

"Sounds good. I'll talk to her and let you know. Although, knowing her, she'll take us where she can find some burgers and fries." Bella snickered. "You have no idea how many times I've heard her complain about the smell of grease clinging to her hours after she leaves the diner, and yet, given the choice, she'd choose to live her life eating nothing _but_ grease."

I let out a laugh. I could recognize the truth behind her hyperbole, even though I'd only met Rose a handful of times. She was, in many ways, the polar opposite of Bella—tall and blonde, curvy and extremely proud of it. The girl could polish off a meal in record time while still holding her end of the conversation with ease and wit. The first time we'd met, she'd made no pretense of the fact that she was assessing me. While I couldn't deny the slight pang of irritation I'd felt at her attitude, I'd grown to appreciate it for what it truly was—concern for Bella. By the end of our first meeting, I was glad that Bella had a friend like Rose in her corner. The two of them hadn't gotten off to the best of starts, but had since developed a friendship they both cherished. I couldn't ever begrudge them that. Despite her circumstances, Rose had a personality that exuded self-confidence, and I truly admired and respected her for it.

"So tell me about what to expect tonight," Bella requested, pulling me back to the present.

I sighed. "Well, Benjamin Cheney has been the Chief of our department for over a decade. He has served the city for a total of thirty years, and he has had an illustrious career. Now that he's on the cusp of retirement, the Mayor has organized this party as a way to . . . I guess, see him off in style."

"Does every distinguished officer have the chance to be seen off in style?" Her words arched meaningfully at the end, and I let out a snort.

"Not really. This is more of an image building exercise for Mayor Barnett. He's up for election next year, and opinion polls have shown that he hasn't been able to connect well with the people. Forget the people of the city, even government officials haven't been too impressed with him. Cheney has always been a well-respected member of the society. Barnett's riding on his coattails to flag off his campaign and earn the goodwill of those who respect Cheney. They've gone all out, inviting everyone from the top rung to the bottom, and Tyler thinks it's an experiment to see what works to get them in touch with the _masses_."

Bella pursed her lips. "That's . . . interesting."

"Now you know I wasn't too keen on making an appearance. Captain Newton made it a point to let us know that attendance was mandatory, though, so there wasn't much of a choice."

That made her laugh. " _Attendance is mandatory_ ," she mocked. "Sounds like something that belongs on the banner of a high school rally."

"And even that might be more interesting than this. It's a good thing I have you with me. Otherwise, I don't know how I'd get through the evening."

"I hope you know how much I'm sacrificing to come with you," she announced haughtily. "I expect payback with interest, Detective."

"Hey, I'm always up for paying my dues. In case you've forgotten, I was the one willing to make it worth your while if we'd stayed back home."

"Yeah, well, Captain Newton has put the kibosh on that, so we'll just have to work something out later."

"Name the time and place, baby." I winked, and she shook her head.

Our pointless chatter came to an end as I pulled into the driveway of our destination—the Barnett mansion. I handed the keys over to the valet and then took Bella's hand in mine as we started to make our way up the stairs.

We paused at the entrance and looked around the hall. It was decorated in shades of violet interspersed with white. The globe-like things hanging from the ceilings housed purple lights, and the chairs around tables had silk bows wrapped around them. All in all, it was a little too garish for my tastes.

"This is . . . interesting," Bella repeated in a whisper, and I had to stifle a laugh.

James and Victoria Barnett seemed determined to play the role of good hosts, because they appeared out of nowhere, ready to welcome us when we stepped into the room. I introduced myself, and then Bella stepped forward to shake hands with the couple. I was surprised to see the flash of recognition in the Mayor's eyes when he heard my name.

"You were a part of the team that brought Volturi down," he stated rather than asked, but I nodded anyway. "That was some good work, Detective. It's never easy to bring the big players to justice. It was good to have some faith restored in the system. We appreciate the hard work you've put into the case."

"Thank you, Sir." I didn't quite know what else to say, and was extremely grateful when a familiar hand landed on my back. I turned around to see Tyler's grinning face. He nodded at us and then stepped forward to greet Barnett, completely at ease as ever. Once they slipped into a conversation, Bella and I took the opportunity to excuse ourselves. We walked away from the trio and managed to slink into a quiet corner.

"Well, that explains the décor," she told me conspiratorially.

I frowned in confusion.

"Didn't you see Mrs. Barnett's necklace?"

"Uh, no, I didn't," I replied, amused. "I was too busy trying to come up with an appropriate response for her husband's unexpected compliment. And I don't really bother paying much attention to what women are wearing, except when it's you."

"Hmm. Good answer." She smirked. "Anyway, that thing she's wearing looks like it could float the entire state for the next five years. Obviously, these people have an appreciation for . . . the _finer_ things in life."

"They were born into money," I whispered, taking note of my surroundings to make sure no one was close enough to eavesdrop. "This is all they know. No wonder James hasn't been able to recognize and solve the common man's problems. The fact that you're loaded doesn't mean you should play right into the cliché, you know. I mean, look at Carlisle and Esme. They do well for themselves, but you couldn't find more down to earth people if you tried." I waved a hand across the room. "This is just ridiculous."

"I couldn't agree more," Bella replied quietly, then shrugged. "Oh well. Let's see how the other half lives before we get back to our simpler lives."

"Care for some company?"

We both turned at the sound of Tyler's voice. Apparently done with his chat, he was now crossing the distance between us in quick strides. He grabbed a flute of champagne off a server's tray on the way. We exchanged a quick handshake before he leaned in to kiss Bella's cheek.

"You're here alone?" Bella asked him.

"Yep. Little man is battling tonsillitis. He couldn't bear to part with Mommy."

I winced. "That sounds painful."

Tyler nodded with a grimace. "He has been miserable. Hasn't been able to eat solid food for three days because of the pain. But we've been giving him antibiotics, and he finally showed some improvement earlier this evening. The fever's gone. Hopefully, in a couple of days, things should be back to normal."

Bella frowned. "They shouldn't have forced you to come, Tyler. It isn't fair. Your duty is at the precinct, not at such pointless parties."

"If only that were true," he sighed and reached out to squeeze her arm. "Honestly, I don't think Captain Newton had much choice in the matter, either. He's doing what he was told. Anyway, don't worry about it. I told Lauren to call me anytime if she needed me at home. I'm not planning on staying for long either way. I just expressed my sincere gratitude to the mayor for the invitation, so that's one task crossed off the list."

I clapped him on the shoulder. "Let's make our presence known to the right people, and get the hell out of here."

He grinned and tipped his glass in my direction. "Sounds like a plan."

I grabbed some wine for Bella and myself and then the three of us found a spot to park ourselves—not too central, yet not too far from prying eyes. The Mayor and his wife went around the room once, touching base with their attendees, but other than that, we were left to chat in peace for the most part. A few of our colleagues stopped by to say hello. I introduced them to Bella and then stood by, watching in amusement and pride as her beautiful smile and wit charmed them all.

Tyler took it upon himself to share with Bella the gossip that haunted each new person she met. I could only shake my head while she gasped and snickered at the appropriate moments in his embellished tales. My annoyance was entirely a pretense, though—and they both knew it. My first few months at this job had been an incredible experience, and I knew Tyler had a big role to play in that. I respected him as my partner, admired him as a detective, and valued his friendship in my life. The fact that he got along so well with my girl certainly made my life simpler.

The first time they'd gotten to know each other was when Bella and I had joined Tyler and Lauren on a double date a couple of weeks ago. Since then, Bella had only met him twice, including tonight. Yet, the way they were tittering amongst themselves right now, you'd think the two had been friends all life.

Bella grabbed my arm and pulled me closer just as Tyler began another one of his stories, and soon enough, I found myself joining them in the chuckles.

About half an hour later, Tyler looked at his watch and sighed. He looked up at us as if he were about to speak, but something behind me caught his eye. His shoulders straightened, and he plastered a smile on to his face. The sound of my name called out in a familiar voice told me why.

"Ah, Edward."

I turned to meet Captain Newton's eyes. Next to him was the man of the hour, Chief Cheney, accompanied by his wife.

"Good evening, Sir, Ma'am," I greeted, stepping forward, as did Tyler.

"Good to see you here, Detectives." He looked toward Bella with a warm smile once I'd introduced her to them. "You, too, ma'am."

Once again, our names caught the attention of Chief Cheney, who quickly made the connection to the Volturi case.

"That's right. They were the ones behind the success," Captain Newton affirmed proudly when Cheney sought confirmation. "Crowley has always been one of the best detectives in our precinct. Edward joined us a few months ago, and he has shown immense promise in such a short time. In fact, the Volturi case was your first one, wasn't it, Edward?"

"Yes, Sir, it was."

"That's some impressive work, young man," Cheney agreed. "It's never easy to bring down the big ones."

"I'm learning from the best, Sir."

Infallible as ever, Tyler clapped my back twice. "That's right, you are."

Everyone let out a laugh at that, and the mood lightened. I was always strung tight whenever in the presence of such high-level bureaucrats, and only time and experience could change that. But I found myself relaxing somewhat as the moments passed, conversation flowing smoothly, bouncing from the weather and sports to other pleasantries.

Bella stepped closer to me without breaking her conversation with Mrs. Cheney. She linked her arm with mine, the gesture almost reflexive, but it warmed me nonetheless. The knot in my chest loosened further. I placed my hand over hers and squeezed it gently in thanks for her support tonight.

We parted ways when Mayor Barnett took the stage, calling for everyone's attention. He invited Newton and Cheney on to the dais. He then proceeded to speak about the reason for the party, expressing his thanks to Cheney for his service to the Department. After touching upon all his achievements in the past thirty years, Barnett felicitated him with an elaborate bouquet of flowers. A loud round of applause echoed through the hall before Cheney took the microphone. He kept his speech concise, thanking everyone he'd ever worked with, as well as his family for their unwavering support throughout the years.

Tyler spoke to Newton and took his leave soon after the speeches were done. Bella and I headed to the buffet. The menu explored several cuisines, and we partook a little of each item on offer.

Soon enough, the band took over the stage. One by one, a few couples made their way to the makeshift dance floor center of the room, following Mr. and Mrs. Barnett's lead.

Once we'd finished our dinner, I bowed before Bella, requesting her hand. She hesitated for just a moment before accepting. I led her over to a vacant corner of the dance floor and then drew her closer. She placed her arms over my shoulders, linking them behind my arms, and looked up at me with a smile. The music floated around us in a soft, slow melody as we began to move along with it.

I held myself back for a few minutes, simply ghosting my fingers over her back as we danced. Bella's fingers gently stroked the hair at the nape of my neck, and I couldn't help but sigh in contentment. I dipped my head and pressed a kiss against the shell of her ear. "Are you having fun, Miss Swan?"

She hummed in agreement. "I am, actually. It hasn't been as bad as you were afraid it'd be. Don't tell me you're not having fun."

I squeezed my hands where they encircled her waist. "Right now? Nope, can't say I'm not enjoying myself," I replied huskily, and she let out a soft snort. "Overall? Yeah, I guess you're right. But that's only because I have you here with me."

She pulled back to meet my eyes, eyebrows arched in curiosity. "I thought this was your first party of its kind."

"Of course it is."

"Then how would you know what it's like without me?"

I shrugged. "Everything in my life is better with you in it," I told her honestly.

Her eyes grew round as she bit her lip. Winding her arms tighter around my neck, she stepped closer to bury her face in my chest.

"That was good," she mumbled into my jacket, making me chuckle.

"Well, thank you, baby, but I was just stating the truth." I paused for a moment, then lowered my voice further before continuing. "These higher-ups make me nervous, Bella. I don't know why, but they do."

"That's understandable. But you've only been doing this for a few months, Edward, so don't be hard on yourself," she murmured. "They're obviously impressed with your work as well. You've earned yourself a good reputation with your work on the Volturi case, and it precedes you. Be proud of that, baby. I certainly am."

My eyes closed as her words washed over me. They left me overwhelmed, chasing away any lingering traces of self-doubt, at least for the time being. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't exactly haul her up into my arms to express my feelings at the moment, so I settled for placing a kiss of thanks to her cheek.

"How do you feel about getting out of here?" I whispered right next to her ear. "I believe I've got some outstanding dues to pay."

She tipped her face up to mine. The excitement dancing in her eyes and the blush blooming on her face left no doubts as to her feelings on the matter. We walked off the dance floor once the song ended, and soon after, proceeded to express our parting thanks to our hosts.

When we returned to my apartment, I made sure to fulfill my promise. I took my time in relieving my girl of her gown; beautiful, though, it was, nothing could compare to the vision that lay underneath. My hands slid down her body, tracing and caressing every inch, until she was writhing and moaning in my arms. I lowered my mouth to hers, capturing her lips in a fervent kiss before I trailed lower, savoring the soft warmth of her skin. Her back arched off the bed, a shiver running down her spine before she cried out my name. She tugged at my hand, and I shifted to settle myself over her. Aligning our bodies together, I pushed in slowly and then began to move, watching her mouth fall open in a gasp, while my heart galloped in my chest.

Afterward, we lay on our sides, facing each other while we caught our breaths. Our hands outstretched, fingers entwined, rested on the bed between us. I pulled Bella's wrist toward me, planting a soft kiss over it. When I let go, she scooted closer to tuck her head against my shoulder and placed her hand over my heart. Moments later, her breaths evened out. I kissed her forehead before pulling the blanket over us and followed her into a deep slumber.

I woke up a while later, disoriented. The room was quiet, Bella's form calm and still beside me. It took me a moment to realize that my throat was parched, quite possibly the reason I'd been roused from my sleep.

By now, Bella had snuggled into my arm, so I slowly extricated myself from her grasp and then made my way into the kitchen. I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, sighing in relief as the cool liquid soothed my insides.

I returned to the bed to see that Bella had latched on to my share of the blanket. She'd bunched it into a ball to replace my arm as her cuddle. One of her legs was flexed at the knee so that her foot rested flat on the mattress, while the other was stretched diagonally, occupying a bit of my side of the bed. My mouth pulled up into a grin at the visual, while my mind raced with thoughts pertaining to the future. The sight of my girl sound asleep and sprawled out in my bed made me think of the day we could truly label it as _ours_. Despite our rocky beginning, in a matter of months, Isabella Swan had become the most integral part of my life, and the thought of taking a step forward toward our future together filled my insides with sparks of excitement.

 _Someday._

Maybe it was too soon to be thinking of such things. I didn't really care about following socially-acceptable timelines, but maybe Bella would. I could probably refrain from voicing these thoughts before her, then.

Or maybe it was just too damn late—or rather, too _early_ in the morning to be thinking about anything at all.

I gave up on the exercise with a sigh before lying back down, maneuvering my way into whatever space was left for me. Bella seemed to sense my presence and shifted to accommodate me. She tucked her head against my chest, draping her arm over my waist. Surrounded by her sweet scent, her hair tickling my chin, her warm, even breaths caressing my neck, I closed my eyes and welcomed the waves of emotion that wash over me. Peace, relief, joy unlike I've ever known before flooded my being . . . along with something else.

My lips moved of their own accord, surmising all that I felt in a whisper that echoed in the quiet darkness of the room.

 _"_ _I love you, Bella."_

My eyes opened after I'd said the words. Not because I was surprised or afraid. It was a simple truth I'd known for a while, and voicing it now seemed easy as breathing.

What caught my attention, though, was the slight sting over my chest, caused by curled nails digging into it.

Before I could dwell on the implications of that, Bella let out a slow, ragged breath that left no doubt about the state of her consciousness. Her body was still, muscles tensed, and she remained silent, almost as though she were waiting for something.

 _A redaction?_

She certainly wasn't going to get one.

Or maybe she thought I was talking in my dreams.

Either way, I had no plans of leaving her in doubt. I brought my hand to her chin and tipped it up until our eyes locked. I ducked my head to kiss the tip of her nose.

"I love you," I repeated softly.

I told myself I didn't need to hear her say the words back to me right away. I told myself I could stand to wait until she was ready. I told myself I would never pressure her to express her feelings until she felt comfortable doing so.

And yet, in the three seconds of silence that followed, icy claws of anxiety chased their way down my spine. My chest coiled into a knot, almost as if a part of me had fractured and threatened to drift away.

But then . . . then her hand travelled along my chest, leaving goosebumps in its wake until she curled it around my cheek. My wide eyes took note of the glassiness in hers seconds before she brought her mouth close to mine.

She didn't hesitate a moment longer to say the words that pieced me back together and made me hers forever.

"I love you, too, Edward."

* * *

 **A/N: When I started writing this, I had one goal in mind—bringing these two from** ** _You're Fired_** **to** ** _I love you_** **. I cannot explain how satisfying it is to have achieved that.**

 **Now, epilogue. I hadn't planned on it. This was the end point I'd imagined when I first mapped it out. But given your response, I think—and please correct me if I'm wrong—that you guys would like to see Edward and Bella off with a stronger sense of closure. With that in mind, I began writing the epi. It did not come to me as easily as the rest of the story, but I've given it my best shot.**

 **This chapter is where** ** _I_** **mark this journey complete. If you disagree, don't worry—there will be an epilogue to follow.**

 **I can't give you an exact date for posting, but I promise—ASAP.**

* * *

 **FIC REC – Lost and Found by Alby Mangroves –** He finds a camera, and his courage. She finds a mysterious, romantic ad. Fate finds them both.


	18. EPILOGUE: Home

**A/N: Hey there. Told you I'd be back ASAP. You can thank Payton79 for assuring me that this extra not-so-little tidbit of Edward and Bella is worth sharing with you.**

 **Thanks to Pamela (drivingedward) as well for being a great cheerleader and for going through my roughest first drafts to give me her input.**

 **Diane, aka obsessedtwibrarian, the creative genius behind my banners always inspires me to write more. Thank you for delivering beautiful banners that make people want to read my work.**

 **And finally, one last time, I'm grateful to every single person out there who has followed this story and shared their thoughts with me, encouraging me to keep telling it. I didn't have a beta for this story. Payton79 was kind enough to edit my docs as she pre-read them, but any mistakes left behind are all mine. Thank you for putting up with them.**

* * *

 **EPILOGUE: HOME**

"Bella?" I called, folding and placing my white shirt in our new closet.

It'd been delivered yesterday evening, and Bella had taken no more than an hour to sort her outfits neatly on the left side. I'd been too tired to undertake the task last night and ended up procrastinating until the last moment. By noon, Bella had had enough of it. She'd shot me and my pile of clothes a deliberate, pointed look before she got started on her own cleaning project in the living room . . .

. . . which still seemed to be underway, given her lack of response.

I sighed and slid the closet door shut before making my way out of the bedroom, only to find Bella staring at the wall opposite our front door. With her hands perched on her hips, she seemed to be lost in her thoughts while gazing at the bunch of photographs we'd hung up a few days ago.

I crossed the room to go to her and gently slid my arms around her waist. She gasped, startled, but then relaxed in my embrace. I leaned in to rest my chin against her shoulder, mimicking the posture we had adapted in the picture that occupied the central position in the arrangement.

"Longing for the good old days already?" I murmured, pressing my lips to her cheek. I tilted my head toward the photograph that Esme had taken on Thanksgiving. We'd spent the day at their place, joining them, along with Alice and her husband, Jasper for some quality family time.

Bella let out a snort. She twisted sideways to meet my lips. "Not yet. We've only been living together for ten days. Give me a month or so before I lose interest," she teased me, but her voice was a tad too subdued to label it a successful attempt.

I gave up the pretense altogether. "Are you okay, baby?"

She drew in a deep breath, and I felt her shoulders lift in a shrug. "I'm fine. I was just making sure the frame was straight. What do you think? Is it okay?"

I humored her, peering carefully at the photograph in question. "Yeah, I think it's straight."

"Are you sure?" she pressed. "It seems a little bit deviated to the left from this angle. I just can't get it right."

I bit the inside of my cheek and silently counted to ten before I opened my mouth to respond. "Really, it looks fine to me."

When she continued to stare at the same spot, I released a sigh. I stepped back and let go of her waist, taking hold of her shoulders instead. I gripped them softly, turning her around until she was facing me. She tipped her head up, and I put on a calm smile.

"Hey, you."

Her lips twitched. "Hey."

"Is it possible it's not the picture that has you in knots?" I suggested quietly, sliding my hands down to stroke her arms. "There's something else on your mind, and you're just trying to project that tension on to something physical that you can correct quickly."

Her eyebrows shot up. "Did you acquire a psych degree sometime in the past hour?"

"You know, we _did_ consult a psychiatrist for the Dawson case. Maybe some of the mumbo-jumbo rubbed off on me."

"I'd say," she muttered, twisting one of the buttons of my shirt between her fingers. "Of course I'm anxious. How could I not be?"

I drew her closer. "It's going to be fine, Bella," I tried to soothe her, even as my own chest tightened with strings of worry that'd become all too familiar to me in the past one week . . . ever since we'd received a phone call from Bella's parents, announcing their three-day visit to our neck of the woods.

Bella and I had celebrated the one-year anniversary of our first date just a few days ago, yet somehow, in all those months, we'd never been able to visit her parents. Getting substantial time off from my job was a task that seemed next to impossible, and Bella's parents had also been tied up in commitments that kept them from coming here. The only communication I'd had with them was a few attempts on Facetime, so this upcoming visit was essentially the first real interaction we would have.

Hell, with Bella's dad, Charlie, it would be my first interaction _ever_. I'd only spoken to Renee on the phone. Somehow, Mr. Swan had always been a silent spectator lingering in the background.

As much as the idea of meeting him made my palms break out in sweat, I had to maintain a cool façade, or else Bella would truly lose her mind. I knew very well how much her parents' opinion mattered to her, and I respected that. I wanted . . . no, _needed_ to make a good first impression. But I didn't want to add the fuel of my anxiety to the flames of hers.

I put on a smile and hugged her tighter. "I don't see why you have to worry about them being disappointed with you, baby. You're doing exceedingly well at your job; your boss has nothing but good things to say about you. On the personal front . . . well, I'd like to believe you're doing well for yourself there, too."

She let out a weak chuckle, throwing her arms around my neck. "Thank you for trying to comfort me. But you and I both know why they chose _now_ to make an appearance. I mean, Christmas came and went, but Dad couldn't refuse the job at Dr. Snow's place. Yet, two days after I told them we're moving in together, they were ready to pack their shit and get on the first flight here."

"So they want to check up on me. Can you really blame them? They love you. They want to make sure you're not tying yourself to some psycho. It's just a visit, baby. Let them see for themselves that we're good together. It'll make them happy. Plus, you know as well as I do that us living together wasn't an impulsive decision. We haven't taken this step lightly, Bella," I added. "They will see that."

At least, I hoped they would.

If I'd had my way, I would've asked Bella to move-in with me the moment she'd confessed she loved me. I'd known she was it for me. The lovestruck half of me had seen no point in waiting to take that next step forward. The practical half, however, had been able to squash that ridiculous idea down.

My little apartment had been fine until it was just me, but it wasn't where I'd wanted to begin my life with Bella. I'd wanted to look for a bigger place in a better neighborhood. The inheritance I'd received from my parents had remained untouched since my college expenses, but still, it'd been too small an amount to suffice. I'd needed a little time to build up my savings enough to supplement it. Once I'd gathered up the courage to put the idea before Bella—about two months after Mayor Barnett's party—she'd kissed me until we were both breathless, and right after that, chastised me for not considering her contribution.

Duly noted.

Suffice it to say, after that, we'd both piled up as much of our earnings as we could into a nest egg, while we'd begun searching for a suitable apartment. Scrolling through the newspaper listings had left me drowning in nostalgia as I recalled the days I'd spent poring over the classified, looking for jobs for Bella. Only this time, she'd been right beside me, her eyes roving over the screen of her tablet where she was doing research of her own. Feeling my gaze, she'd looked up at me with a smile that'd made my heart melt with the realization of how far we'd come. I'd squeezed her hand, bringing it up to my lips to drop a kiss on her palm before we'd both settled back into our tasks.

After a few weeks of effort, we'd zeroed down on this place. The matching, hopeful grins on our faces had made it feel like home since the first time we'd seen it. We'd had to cut corners for a couple of months to be able to afford the down payment—another reason why Bella hadn't been able to go down to see her folks for Christmas. We'd spent the holiday with my family, having fun exchanging gifts and binging on Esme's cookies. Christmas morning had been extra special as Bella and I got another chance to christen my childhood bed. Maybe it'd been a good thing that Charlie Swan had been thousands of miles away after all.

But the moment we'd signed the papers that made this place our home was one I could never forget, and the happy tears shining in my beautiful girl's eyes had told me all our sacrifices had been worth it.

"You promise?" Bella inquired, bringing me out of my reverie.

I scrambled my wits for a few seconds, wondering what I was being asked to commit to, before I recalled that I'd been reassuring her.

My eyebrows rose. "You're asking me to predict your parents' behavior? I think you've got this whole thing backwards."

She huffed. "Believe me, I've been trying my whole life to figure out how they'll react. Let's see. Maybe _you_ will have better luck with it."

"As much as I love you, I doubt that. I'm pretty sure your dad has been trying to will me out of your life ever since you told him about us. I mean, the only communication we've ever had is a nod here and there. He obviously didn't think I was here to stay."

Bella shrugged, smiling up at me. "Good thing I always knew better, huh?" Her fingers knotted in my hair as she pulled my lips down to hers.

I let the world slip away, focusing on nothing but kissing her for a long moment. We'd been strung tight for the past couple of days, unable to completely relax despite our words of assurance to each other. It felt good to take a moment to just _be_ with each other.

After all, Bella truly didn't know what to expect of her parents. The one and only guy her dad had _met_ was her date for senior prom. They'd dated throughout the summer and parted ways amicably before they'd headed to college. She'd told me that she'd never had a relationship that'd grown serious enough to be reported to her parents ever since.

When we broke apart, my eyes traversed the living room, taking in the little hints of her taste and mine that adorned each surface. We'd only managed to get our stuff set up a few days ago. I would probably never admit it out loud, but a tiny part of me hadn't stopped marveling over it yet. Even though we'd spent months chasing this dream, the sight of her things tucked next to mine was a tangible proof that made it all real.

I tried to look around with an unbiased eye, but even then, everything here screamed of permanency to me. There was no doubt in my mind about my commitment to Bella, and I hoped that her father would recognize and accept it as well.

Bella couldn't make herself stay still any longer, so I released my hold on her. She flitted from one place to another, busying herself with pointless little arrangements. I took a seat on the couch, alternating between glancing at my watch and twiddling my thumbs. I almost envied her a little since I had no outlet for the anxious energy buzzing through me.

The gleam from the surface of the piano caught my eye just then. I rose to my feet and made my way over to my favorite corner of the room. After I was settled on the bench, I let my hand ghost across the scale. I grabbed my folder of sheet music, thumbing through the pages until I found something soft and soothing. My eyes trained on the notes, my fingers began to glide across the keys until the melody enveloped me in its calming embrace. Once I'd gotten the hang of it, I let my eyes fall shut, immersing myself in the tune and willing my body to relax.

I don't know how many minutes passed while I lost myself in the music, but I resurfaced back to the present when warm, slender arms wound around my neck from behind. I felt Bella's lips press into my hair before she pressed her cheek there. I smiled, leaning back into her embrace, and kept playing.

It must've been an hour later that the buzzer sounded. Bella—who was now seated next to me—stiffened and met my eyes. I tried to smile. She echoed it with a timid one of her own and then made her way to the door. I heard Renee's excited voice through the speaker before Bella buzzed them in.

We'd offered to pick up Charlie and Renee at the airport, but for some reason, they'd politely declined the offer. Bella had rattled off our address without giving it a second thought, dismissing the action as a part of her father's idiosyncrasies. I still wasn't too sure what to make of it, but she'd told me not to worry about that, so I'd been trying to take her word for it.

I closed the lid over the keys and crossed the room to stand beside her, taking her hand in mine.

"I love you," I promised, resting my lips against her forehead.

"I love you, too," she returned. The tone of her voice was such as though she'd left _no matter what_ unsaid at the end of her declaration. I squeezed her hand.

Moments later, we heard shuffling outside our door. Bella glanced through the peephole before she pulled the door open.

Renee Swan was a whirlwind of billowing fabric and sandy brown hair as she burst into the room and launched herself right into Bella's arms. I couldn't help but smile as Bella melted into her embrace. Her features relaxed as her nerves seemed to disappear, at least for the time being, while Renee squeezed her lovingly.

I couldn't focus on them for long, though, because right behind her, the man who'd managed to twist my gut into knots from across the country was now shuffling his way into our home. I rushed forward to help him with the luggage, and he grudgingly handed me one. Charlie unleashed his piercing brown eyes on my face as I welcomed him inside. His steps were deliberately slow as he followed me. Neither of us said anything while we placed the two bags in a corner next to the couch.

In the meantime, Renee seemed to have had her fill of her daughter. Her long, cotton dress twirled around her plump frame as she whirled around.

"Well, hello, Edward. It's so nice to finally meet you!" Her face lit up with a grin, her skin flushed in excitement, and I realized how remarkably Bella resembled her mother. Renee didn't hesitate to pull me down for a hug.

"It's great to see you, too, Mrs. Swan."

"Oh, hush! It's Renee and Charlie to you, dear." She patted my cheek as she pulled away. I felt my lips curl up into a grin, unable to resist the inexplicable, yet undeniable comfort of a mother's embrace. My racing heart calmed somewhat, but not completely, because I watched Bella pull Charlie over to us from the corner of my eye. She returned to my side, reaching out to take my hand before we both turned to face her father. She made the introductions, and I held out my hand.

Charlie just looked at it for a beat before reaching out to grasp it firmly.

For the life of me, I couldn't figure out why, despite having been trained to tear down the harshest of criminals in the interrogation room, I felt sweat trickle down the back of my neck as I faced the father of the woman I loved. I only hoped my nervousness didn't show on my face because Charlie's eyes were clearly narrowed in assessment.

After an endless moment, he nodded and dropped his hand. "Good to see you."

I responded in kind before inviting them to take a seat. Bella offered them something to drink, rattling off the options we had in store. Her eyes drifted to mine as I knew they would—as they always did when something reinforced the idea of _our_ new home, our new life. Her face was tinged pink, glowing with happiness, and I was sure mine mirrored it.

I helped her with the glasses before taking a seat. Renee was happy to launch into conversation as soon as Bella had settled beside me. She asked me about my job, and I explained it as best as I could. Of course, discussing particulars of our cases was out of the question, but I managed to satisfy her curiosity regarding the atmosphere at the precinct. When the spotlight shifted on to Bella, she wore a proud smile as she described her responsibilities at _Trending_. Knowing what I knew of her parents' expectations, I observed them discreetly while she talked. Renee was obviously the more expressive of the pair, grinning at her daughter's regalement of her routine. Charlie, on the other hand, was quiet, but one hundred percent focused on Bella's words. His face was neutral as he nodded his understanding and asked a question or two here and there, but his eyes . . . they softened considerably by the time Bella paused to take a breath.

"That sounds wonderful, Bella," he replied eventually. His voice was quiet, but fervent, a small smile appearing from underneath his thick mustache. "We're so glad to see you doing so well."

"Thank you, Dad," Bella whispered happily, reaching out to lay her hand on his forearm.

She looked up at me with a smile, and I didn't miss the moisture glistening in her eyes. I leaned in and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, stroking her flushed cheek with my other hand. I thought I heard Renee sigh as I pulled away. When I looked at her, I found her hands interlocked underneath her chin while she watched our interaction.

"The apartment looks great as well," she told us, circling her gaze around the room. "I'm thrilled that you've settled in nicely. I admit, I was a little worried when you weren't able to find a suitable place despite searching for so long."

"It wasn't too long, Mom," Bella groaned. "We wanted to find something that was just right for us. Of course that would take us a few weeks."

Charlie let out a grunt. "Could've taken longer. I wouldn't have minded."

Renee frowned and nudged him. "Oh, stop it! Don't tell me you're not proud of your baby girl for buying her first home."

He glared at her for a couple of seconds, then huffed out a breath and crossed his arms over his chest.

I leaned forward, eager to move the conversation along. "Bella's right. We took our time, putting our ideas together and deciding on exactly what we wanted before we even began the process. Given the way things have turned out, I believe it has been successful. It's like you said, Renee—it's our first home. What could be more special than that? We didn't want to rush anything." I shot them a smile, which Renee mirrored without hesitation, while Charlie simply nodded. I turned to him and changed the subject. "We're so glad you were able to come here. I'm sorry we weren't able to make it to Forks for Christmas."

"Don't apologize, dear," Renee reassured me. "I'm sure it isn't easy to get time off from your job. I really wanted to come up here to see you both, but my husband here seems to think building someone's roof is more important than seeing his daughter." She rolled her eyes with such petulance that I had to stifle a smile.

"Dr. Snow does consultations for patients from his home, Renee," Charlie replied gruffly, the tone of his voice making it obvious that this was not an argument he was undertaking for the first time. "I'd given him my word to finish the job, and I don't go back on that. The workers chipped in, too, because that's how we live in Forks—we help each other out in times of need. What if we hadn't done the repairs and that ancient roof had given in while Dr. Snow was examining someone who'd fallen down while putting up Christmas lights? You know how often that happens."

"Then he would've done his job at the hospital, like any other doctor," Renee insisted, her voice rising an octave.

My eyes flickered between them, my muscles tensed as I wondered where this would go. Clearly, they'd had some disagreements on the subject, but I didn't feel comfortable watching it unfold before me. I wracked my brain for a reasonable excuse to make myself scarce.

Charlie straightened his shoulders, obviously ready with a counter, but fortunately, Bella interrupted the quarrel.

"Okay, okay. That was months ago," she reminded them. "Let's just move on, please. You're here now, and like Edward said, we're very happy about that. Why don't you finish those drinks and cool off, so that I can take you to see the rest of the apartment? Does that sound good?"

A moment passed in tense silence before they both turned to Bella.

"Sorry, sweetie, you're right. Of course, we'd love a tour," Renee agreed amicably, while Charlie polished off the last of his drink.

I jumped to my feet, offering to clean up while Bella showed them around. She thanked me, tipping her head up for a kiss. My eyes couldn't help but drift toward Charlie, only to find his gaze trained steadily on me. I leaned in and dropped a kiss on Bella's forehead instead of her lips. She frowned for a second, but I implored her with my eyes, willing her to take things slowly. Her face softened as she understood my silent plea. She linked her arm with Renee's and led her parents down the hallway, allowing me to breathe a sigh of relief.

I collected our glasses and headed into the kitchen. My phone chimed with a message once I'd deposited them in the sink. I pulled it out of my pocket, smiling when I saw I had a text from Alice.

 _Don't forget to breathe, Edward! Everything will be fine. Just hold the fort until dinner tomorrow. When they come here, I promise to butter Bella's dad up until he's just as much in love with you as his daughter. ~A_

I had to laugh and suppress a shudder at the same time, but my sister's text had done the trick, giving me the distraction I'd needed.

The rest of the day went by smoothly, Renee and Charlie seeming to have reached some sort of understanding. The four of us spent the evening together, and Bella and Renee did most of the talking. I couldn't help but feel grateful for the buffer, as Charlie's silent presence didn't seem to grow any less intimidating. He joined the conversation when he was asked a question, but it was clear that he preferred to listen rather than contribute to the chatter around him. He was never distracted, though—his posture and demeanor made that clear. He payed attention, especially when I had something to say, and strangely enough, every time his gaze focused on me, I felt like I was about to face an interrogation. I wondered if I could get him to sit in on one of our sessions at the precinct. I'd be willing to bet he could get us a confession or two.

His scrutiny made it impossible for me to completely relax, even though Renee was enthusiastically supportive of us. But I only had to look at the contentment on Bella's face to be able to get past it. Sharing her life, _our_ life with her parents had made her so happy, and my momentary discomfort was a very small price to pay for that.

Tired after their journey, Charlie and Renee decided to retire soon after dinner. I placed their bags in their room, while Bella showed them where they could find the toiletries. Once they were settled in, we made our way into our bedroom.

The last few nights had been pretty exciting—both of us riding the high of our new home seemed to make it easier to chase the other pleasurable high we found only in each other. We'd spent hours exploring each other's bodies well into the early hours of dawn, but tonight, all I wanted to do was dive under the sheets with her curled up in my arms and let a long, deep sleep chase away the stress of the entire day.

I changed into my pajama bottoms and groaned as I sank down into the mattress. Bella joined me after a moment. She folded her arms over my chest and leaned in to press her lips to my chin.

"Thank you for being such a sport," she murmured. "I know they aren't the easiest people to be around, but all in all, it was a good day."

I wound my arms around her waist with a sigh. "They're fine, baby. It was really great to see you smiling, especially after all that worry."

She kissed me softly before sliding down to rest her head against my shoulder. I hugged her closer as she pulled the sheets over both of us.

"I know I tend to overreact when it comes to them. I just can't help it. Old habit, I guess. But you're right. They seemed happy. And you handled Dad like a pro."

I said nothing, ducking my head to plant a kiss into her hair instead. Bella didn't seem perturbed by my lack of response. She snuggled her way into a comfortable position, and soon, we were both out like a light.

My last conscious thought was that I doubted I had handled Charlie. In fact, my instincts told me that there was more to come on that front tomorrow.

I enjoyed a restful sleep and awoke refreshed at my usual hour. It was too early to rouse my sleepy girl, who was a warm, soft deadweight at my side. I kissed her cheek and tucked the sheets snugly around her before I got out of bed to freshen up. I grabbed a T-shirt and put it on as I stepped out into the hallway.

The place was quiet, so I assumed Renee and Charlie were still asleep. I poured myself a glass of water, then gulped it down quickly. I put on my running shoes and grabbed my cap before making my way out of the door.

I deviated from my usual circuit this morning, taking a longer route that would take me to _The Busy Bean_. We hadn't gotten a chance to go there since we'd moved into the apartment. I knew Bella would enjoy having her beloved overdose of sugar for breakfast today. I ordered our usual drinks to go and added a couple more for our guests. The lady at the counter pointed out their new selection of fresh donuts. The smell was indeed mouth-watering, so I bought a box of those as well.

My trip back was much slower as I concentrated on holding on to my purchases, but eventually, I made it back. I figured everyone would still be asleep, so I used my key to let myself in instead of ringing the bell. I used my feet to shrug off my shoes in the foyer, leaving them there and walked toward the kitchen.

I stopped short, slightly alarmed when I caught sight of Charlie sitting on a stool at the counter. He had the newspaper spread out before him, but looked up immediately when I entered.

"Good morning," I greeted him with a smile. Nervousness spawned in my gut and my fingers clasped the paper-bag tighter, but I refused to back away. I took three determined steps forward and started pulling my purchases out before lining them up on the counter.

"Morning," he replied. "You're up early."

"I'm an early riser. I like to get in a run if I can before work. I mean, I have the day off today, but I can't shake off the habit."

He nodded. "It's a good one to have. There's nothing better than a productive morning to get yourself into gear for the rest of the day. Unfortunately, neither of my girls put much faith into that principle."

I chuckled as I slid one of the mugs his way. "Bella once told me that _Good Morning_ was the biggest oxymoron in her dictionary."

"Don't I know it," Charlie grumbled. He took a sip of his coffee, his eyes immediately darting to mine when he realized I'd made the effort to enquire with Bella about his preference. "Thanks. This is good."

I tipped my glass at him in acknowledgement. "It's from our favorite café. We used to go there quite frequently before we moved here."

"Hmm," was all he said before returning his gaze to the newspaper.

Silence settled between us, stretching out for a few minutes. I shifted my attention to the donuts, placing a couple on a plate that I pushed toward Charlie and taking one for myself. I'd turned around to grab some paper towels, when I heard him clear his throat. The sound was pointed enough that I abandoned my search and gave him my undivided attention.

Charlie shifted in his seat, his mouth twitching—the first sign of uncertainty I'd seen in the man. I slowly lowered myself into a seat across from him. He cleared his throat again, as though preparing to voice something that made him uncomfortable. I resisted the urge to fidget and tried to appear calm as I sipped at my coffee.

"Bella's boss is your sister," he began gruffly.

"Yes."

He lifted his head to look right at me. "I'm not quite sure how I feel about that."

I could feel my brow crease into a frown. "I'm sorry, Sir. I don't understand."

"Look, Edward, my daughter is a smart woman. I trust her to make her own decisions, but despite that, I can't _not_ worry about her. As her father, I don't think a day will go by when I won't be concerned about her well-being. Can you understand that?"

I nodded slowly.

"Then you can see why it makes me anxious to watch her place all her eggs in one basket, for lack of a better expression," he told me. "I can see . . . that . . . the two of you are happy together right now, but there are no guarantees in life. What if . . . what if things don't go as per your plans? You and Bella are building a life together, while she's dependent on your sister for her livelihood. If things go wrong on one end . . ." he trailed off, and I drew in a deep breath.

"Sir, I can assure you I had nothing to do with getting Bella a job at _Trending_. It was a coincidence that she ended up working for Alice, and in all these months, my sister has been thanking her lucky stars that she gained Bella as an employee. Bella has made invaluable contributions to the business, and Alice recognizes that. I have never interfered in that aspect of her life, nor do I plan to do so in the future. Alice may be my sister, but she makes her own decisions, one of which is . . ." I hesitated for a moment before forging on. "She's going to offer Bella a bigger role at the boutique. She hasn't settled the formalities yet, so she has asked me to keep it a secret from Bella. But the way her business is growing, she's planning to expand it across multiple locations, and if things go as planned, Bella will soon be taking the reins of administration at a new outlet."

Charlie's eyebrows twitched, but other than that, he gave no outward indication of his feelings on my revelation, so I went on.

"I lost my parents at a very young age. My job entails that I watch people lose their loved ones every single day. I—I suppose it has taught me how to just . . . keep moving forward in life, and you can't really do that if you're expecting a calamity at the next stop." I swallowed thickly. "Bella and I—we're in this for the long haul, Sir. But God forbid, if things . . . if things don't quite work out between us, this would be her home for as long as she needs. She didn't acquire her job because of my influence, nor will she ever lose it because of me. She has built a life for herself here. She'd be just fine without me, but . . . but I hope she'll choose to keep me by her side anyway."

Charlie regarded me carefully throughout my speech, and I made sure to hold his gaze. I felt as though a weight had been lifted off my chest as I laid my intentions bare before him. I was here to stay in his daughter's life, and it would make things simpler for all of us if he started to accept that.

He made me wait for what felt like ages after I was done talking, keeping his face neutral and giving me no clue about the workings of his mind. But eventually, he granted me a nod—and it felt like one of understanding. I didn't know him well enough to pinpoint it, but I did sense something different in his expression. Yesterday, he'd looked at me as though he were waiting for me to mess up. It didn't seem like that was the case now.

Whatever it was, my gut told me it was a step in the right direction.

"I agree. Bella is a force to be reckoned with when she sets her mind to something."

I smiled in agreement, and he nodded again. He pinched the page of the newspaper between his fingers and deftly turned it to the next one, returning his attention to the articles without another word.

I guess that was that.

I didn't get much time to ponder over it because moments later, Bella padded into the kitchen, rubbing her bleary eyes with her fist. She smiled at her dad and wished him a good morning before making her way over to me. She wrapped her arm around my waist, squeezing me sideways. I returned the favor, nuzzling her disheveled hair, and all was right in my world.

Bella's eyes lit up when she saw the coffee I'd brought. Both Charlie and I laughed as she squealed in childish delight on taking her first sip.

Renee joined us soon after, and we dug into our breakfast with gusto, chatting about our plans for the day. Bella had already prepared a list of the notable places we could visit, so we made quick work of chalking up a schedule.

We made good use of the day, sight-seeing well into the evening. Renee was practically giddy as she took pictures after pictures of every place we visited. I even caught Charlie with a small, indulgent smile on his face, watching Renee pull a reluctant Bella into another selfie. I nudged him toward them and pulled my phone out to indicate that I'd take a photo of them together. My offer brought out a genuine smile, this time directed right at me, before he walked over to do my bidding.

I couldn't hide my own grin as I clicked the photograph, more assured than ever that things were going to be just fine.

We returned to our apartment to freshen up before we headed out to spend the evening with my family. It'd been Esme's idea to organize a dinner for our families to get to know each other.

"It'll show them that you're serious about Bella," she'd told me. "It can't be easy for them to have their only child settle down across the country. I want to reassure them that Bella has a family here."

I hadn't been able to say anything in response; words hadn't seemed enough. Instead, I'd hugged her tightly, grateful as ever to be a part of said family.

The evening did start out a little awkwardly, introductions seeming a little formal, but there was no way around them. I shouldn't have worried, though, because my aunt seemed to have taken the possibility into account when she'd planned this visit.

She directed us straight to the dining table, declaring that she could imagine we must be hungry after having explored the city all day. The stilted nature of our chatter morphed into effortless conversations once the bounty of delicious food at the table came into the equation. Before long, compliments were being thrown around, recipes were being sought, and we'd managed to break the ice. The discussions went on even after we'd polished off our plates, so Esme offered everyone cups of coffee before leading them into the living room.

I returned from the kitchen with my mug in hand and couldn't help but smile at the sight before me. Carlisle, Renee, and Alice were peering intently into Renee's phone, most likely perusing her stellar collection of photographs from earlier in the day. Jasper and Charlie appeared deep into a conversation of their own. I had to stifle a chuckle when I watched Esme join them and shake her head immediately before she began to put forth her point with fervent motions of her hand.

My thoughts drifted to the one beautiful face missing from the picture seconds before the owner of said face appeared at my side. She looked up at me, her lips curled up in a lovely smile that made my heart thump in joy.

We stood there for a minute, silent, as we observed the comfortable scene before us . . . one that was likely to be repeated on many occasions in the future.

Bella slipped her free hand into mine and gave it a tight squeeze.

"Thank you for this," she whispered, and I leaned down to hear her better.

"You know you don't need to thank me, baby."

Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she stepped closer. "No?"

I shook my head, curious as hell about what was going on in that mind of hers.

"Shall I be thankful for something else then?"

"If you'd like," I replied, breaking into an amused smile.

She extricated her hand from my grasp and placed it on my shoulder instead, steadying herself before she rose onto her tiptoes. I suppressed a shiver as her lips grazed the shell of my ear.

"Thank you for getting me fired, Edward."

I couldn't help the bark of laughter that left my mouth as I wrapped my arm around her waist. She giggled, too, planting a smacking kiss on my cheek before she pulled away.

"Hey!" Alice's voice pierced our bubble. "Come over here, you two! There's plenty of time for that later. We need you to settle a few debates here."

Bella rolled her eyes and took my hand once again. "If we must," she sighed and rolled her eyes dramatically. I chuckled into my mug as we walked over to our families together . . . just like we were meant to be.

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 **A/N: With that, I'm signing off for a couple of months, folks. The last Finals of my undergraduate life begin in a couple of days, and this requires my undivided attention. I'll be around on** Facebook **, so come find me at** _Fanfiction by ForeverRobsessed_ **if you want to know what's up with me—or even if you just want to see the pretty pictures that go with the story. Follow the link on my profile.**

 **My next project will most likely be my story for FAGE-10, which is due in February. Keep an eye out for that next year if you'd like to come along on another adventure with me.**

 **Now, wish me luck!**

 **Until next time,**

 **~ForeverRobsessed.**

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 **FIC REC - Remember Me by NoelleSeven -** One love. One destiny. Can you change what's meant to be?

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 **Fired** has been **nominated** in the poll at **Twifanfictionrecs dot com** to select the top 10 complete fics from November. If you've enjoyed the story, I'll be grateful for your vote :) **You can vote once per day.** Thank you. xo


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